Spring and rare ducklings

New happenings at Tawharanui - the adorable Teal (pateke) ducklings are out and about, wonderful to see, as Pateke are the 4th most endangered duck in the world.  It’s great to see at least 2 pairs with a number of ducklings close to the Ecology track where the lucky visitor may see them.

Pateke breed from June to November nesting under dense vegetation, the male guards the territory while the female incubates the eggs for 30 days.  The fledging period is around 50 to 55 days.  The Pateke is doing well at Tawharanui with the protection of the predator free environment however there are a couple of native threats, the eels and pukeko.

There’s lots more happening in Tawharanui with the warmer weather and bird activity having increased somewhat.

On each visit to Tawharanui we will often see around 10 different species of endemic birds to NZ, plus the natives. 

If you would like to learn more about Tawharanui be sure to take one of our tours where we’ll give you more information and a memorable kiwi experience.