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A recent bird survey along the south Kaipara Peninsula including Pāpakanui, Muriwai, Bethells, Piha, and the east coast’s Tāwharanui Peninsula has revealed a sobering result for the New Zealand pipit, or pihoihoi. Despite the area’s seemingly good dune habitat, just four solitary pipits were detected across the surveyed areas, and human activities like illegal four-wheel driving play a part in the decline, along with predation from rats and feral cats.
Native pipit on beach.
The survey, undertaken by Auckland Council’s environmental services team, aimed to help identify sites that could support the known pipit strongholds of Te Arai and Whatipu to guide conservation efforts. However, what the findings highlight is a worrying trend that mirrors broader declines in this native coastal bird species.
Chair of the Policy and Planning Committee Councillor Richard Hills expressed his concern over the findings.
“The decline of the pipit isn’t just a biodiversity issue; it’s a signal that our ecosystems are under stress.
“The results of this initial survey reinforce the need for targeted conservation efforts, including predator control and habitat protection, to ensure these once common birds don’t vanish from our landscapes,” says Councillor Hills.
Auckland Council Regional Advisor Biodiversity, Jacinda Woolly, says the survey team anticipated finding at least a small population in duneland habitats.
“The dunes of the south Kaipara Peninsula provide open spaces and low vegetation that should be perfect for pipits. But predators, such as rats, mustelids, and feral cats, are likely a significant factor in their absence. Human activities like illegal four-wheel driving through these dune areas are also disturbing and damaging their habitats.”
The survey results also point to the success of predator eradication programmes elsewhere. On Campbell and Antipodes Islands, pipit populations flourished following the removal of introduced rats and mice. This connection highlights the importance of addressing predation on the mainland.
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Intensified land use, habitat loss, introduced mammalian predators, and the effects of climate change are all adding pressure to this already vulnerable bird.
While the pipit’s plight is disheartening, there is a silver lining. The council plans to extend its surveys to other known pipit habitats in the region, seeking a clearer picture of their status and how best to manage conservation efforts.
The pipit concealed among dune grasses.
“These surveys remind us of the urgent need to act,” says Councillor Hills.
“Protecting our native species is a shared responsibility, and these birds are worth every effort.”
The council encourages the public to report sightings of pipits through citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist and eBird. People can help protect the species by staying out of protected dune areas, following relevant dog rules in these sensitive spaces, and consider volunteering for a dune planting day or with local pest-control projects.
