A season of resilience for NZ’s rarest bird - Tara Iti – NZ Fairy Tern
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The 2025-26 breeding season for tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern has delivered genuine cause for optimism, with 11 chicks fledging successfully despite a challenging summer of predation pressure, wild weather, and anxious moments.
The tara iti (NZ fairy tern) is one of the world's rarest seabirds, with a tiny population of less than 50, on a handful of north Auckland coastal sites. Every fledgling counts, and this season, the combined efforts of Department of Conservation, Auckland Zoo, community volunteers, and a wide network of partner organisations produced positive results.
A tale of two coasts
The season opened with promising signs at Papakānui on the west coast, where three chicks fledged early in January - an unusually strong result for the site. On the east coast, however, Mangawhai faced a tougher run. Rats predated four nests across the season, and persistent wet and windy weather added to the pressure.
Despite this, the birds showed remarkable determination: one pair laid three nests and successfully raised a chick to fledging, while the Pākiri pair persisted through a second attempt to feed, protect and grow a chick.
A total of three chicks fledged from Mangawhai, with the final chick described by rangers as "looking happy az" at banding: well fed, energetic, and already practising its wing flaps.
Captive rearing: progress through adversity
The captive rearing programme at Te Ārai, run in partnership with Auckland Zoo, also faced predation losses, but ultimately, five captive-reared birds fledged across two cohorts.
Once fledged, the captive-reared birds demonstrated impressive independence. Satellite tracking revealed one bird, making solo overnight excursions to Port Albert and across to the Kaipara. This is an extraordinary range for a young bird still finding its feet.
The captive-reared fledglings also benefited from unexpected tutoring.
When wild-raised Mangawhai chicks and their parents joined them at Te Ārai in the final weeks of the season, the captive birds were observed taking cues from the wild birds — following them to more sheltered roost locations in high winds, and competing eagerly (if not always successfully) for parent-delivered fish.
Population monitoring shows promise
Post-breeding spring tide monitoring across the Kaipara Harbour recorded 52 individual tara iti, with 44 counted at west coast roost sites. The census, which will be repeated a final time to establish a robust post-breeding population estimate, included fledglings from both Mangawhai and Papakānui — confirmation that young birds are making the journey west and integrating with the broader population.
Threats remain real
The season was not without setbacks beyond predation. Hearings were held in February on Private Plan Change 85 (PPC85), a proposal to rezone approximately 94 hectares of rural land adjoining Mangawhai Harbour for urban development. The NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust joined with local groups to oppose the plan, presenting expert evidence on the potential impacts to tara iti feeding and roosting habitat. A decision from commissioners is still awaited.
Rat pressure across both wild and captive rearing sites underscored the ongoing importance of intensive predator control - a programme that continued to expand this season, with additional trap lines, cameras, and acoustic monitoring devices deployed.
Sandmining ends in one habitat, proposed for another
In addition to the herculean efforts being wrapped around these vulnerable species, it has been a huge relief for people and these manu that the sandmining of their habitat at Mangawhai and Pakiri has ended.
In a landmark win for communities and the environment, McCallum Bros Ltd withdrew its High Court appeal and ceased all offshore sand mining at Pākiri and Mangawhai, bringing an end to decades of destructive extraction. This decision means the company’s temporary permit has ceased immediately, leaving the beaches and seafloor free from mining for the first time in generations.
Te Akau Bream Bay now however faces a huge challenge. Mining company, McCallum Bros Ltd has moved further north having applied for a fast-tracked consent to extract 8 million cubic metres of sand from the seabed over 35 years. A pair of tara iti are known to nest at Waipū Cove in this rohe (area) and we continue to support the efforts of tāngata whenua and local communities to oppose this application.
Looking ahead
As the 2025-26 season wraps up and the team turns its attention to winter planning — habitat enhancement, predator control improvements, and captive rearing preparations.
"This season is a reminder of just how much is possible when skilled people, dedicated volunteers, and committed organisations work together for a single purpose," said Natalie Jessup, General Manager of the Endangered Species Foundation.
"Tara iti face enormous odds every breeding season. Seeing all 11 chicks fledge, and watching those young birds begin to find their wings, is exactly why this work matters."
The Endangered Species Foundation is proud to support the tara iti recovery programme and the efforts of local communities to protect this important habitat.
