Winter reign of kōtare

The kookaburra might sit in the old gum tree in Australia, but here in Tasman the distinctive kōtare (kingfisher) perches on lampposts and powerlines, with its increased presence being noticed as they establish inland territories for winter.

“The rise of kōtare sightings is likely due to favourable habitat conditions and conservation efforts. As well, the birds often go inland for winter to find a food source before heading back to nest and breed along the coastline,” Cynthia McConville, chair of Forest and Bird Golden Bay, explains.

The small bird is an iconic percher and is distinctive with a green-blue back, yellow to orange underside, pink-brown legs and feet, and a large black bill. They live in a wide range of coastal and freshwater habitats and have benefited from artificial structures such as powerlines and posts placed beside and over estuaries.

More frequently encountered in the North Island with its warmer climate and vast coastlines, the bird is becoming a common sight around the top of the South Island, both coastal and inland. Cynthia has loved birds since she was a child and watched them in her parents’ garden. When she moved back to Golden Bay in 2018 a penguin attack by a dog prompted her to get more involved in conservation work.

“There were seven little blue penguins killed on our local beach by a dog, so I decided to join Forest and Bird’s Golden Bay branch. Now, I chair the branch and I am responsible for our shorebird protection campaign. I have many coastal nesting sites I monitor and one of them is a kōtare nest,” she says.

Forest and Bird are an independent conservation organisation, they are nature’s voice, and the group works to defend nature on land and water.

“Climate change has affected kōtare nesting areas, especially in cliffs where heavy rain has caused slips or cliffs to collapse,” Cynthia explains.

“Also, cutting down the large trees at Tāhunanui Beach some years ago left some kōtare displaced, these trees provided a safe nesting site and home for them, a great spot right on the waterfront. It’s important that we embrace birds as part of our environment.”

Bird enthusiast Lisa Graves, who has been photographing birds at her Redwood Valley home for the past seven years, says that numbers of the kōtare have “definitely increased over the past four years” to the point she sees them daily at certain times of the year.

“I now see, sometimes, three different kingfishers in a day, which is really special. There are a number of young ones this year which is the second year we have seen young ones on the property,” Lisa explains.

“They love to sit on the clothesline and certainly have their favourite spots to sit and scout their next snack here, we have good numbers of praying mantis which seems to be their favourite snack.”

Their conservation status is ‘not threatened.’

Increased inland sightings of kōtare  in Tasman reflect their establishment of winter territories. Kōtare are one bird that has managed to adapt to the changes in their environment.