Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Hurunui’s braided rivers are home to precious native river birds like the black-fronted tern, a nationally endangered species that breeds on the open shingle islands and banks of our braided rivers.
Easily disturbed from their nests and highly vulnerable to predation from cats, rats and stoats, the tern’s continued survival rests on efforts to protect, enhance and preserve its breeding sites.
Since 2017, we’ve been collaborating with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to improve their breeding success on the Waiau-Uwha River through access to better nesting sites. This also has benefits for other endemic braided river birds that call the river home such as the black-billed gull – not to be confused with the black-backed gull/ Karoro which is actively controlled in the area to stop its predating on terns and other native river birds.
In this funding round, we’ve granted $13,500 to DOC to support their work to build up river islands and clear vegetation. This creates less vulnerable breeding sites that give chicks a better chance of survival.
