Kārearea Falcon Trust

08/10/2026

Egg-citing news: we have our first beautiful egg of the breeding season! 🥚🪹

Kōwhai and Pari are a new pairing, giving Jenny (Pari’s previous mate) more time to recover from her hernia surgery earlier in the year and Kōwhai the chance to be with a “proven dad” in the hopes her eggs will be fertile for the first time. We have our fingers and toes crossed for chicks to release back into the wild from these two love birds 💚🦅

📹 We’re also excited to introduce our new Nest Cams! While we already use cameras in our aviaries, this is the first year we’ve installed nifty solar powered cameras directly inside the nest boxes.

This means we can monitor eggs, chicks and nesting behaviour remotely, reducing disturbance while collecting valuable data to support our ongoing conservation work.

🔔 A reminder that our centre is CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC during breeding season. To minimise disturbance and give our kārearea the best chance of breeding successfully.

Thank you to our amazing staff and volunteers for leading this important conservation mahi! Plus to our sponsors and donors for making purchase of the nest cameras possible 💚

22/07/2026

HPAI (Bird Flu) Update 🦅

You may have seen the recent news that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was detected in New Zealand for the first time on 15 July 2026.

While it is still early days for our country, HPAI is not a new disease globally. The particular strain detected (H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b) has been causing significant impacts on wildlife, domestic animals, and farms around the world for several years.

OUR RESPONSE

Our resident kārearea are integral to the Breed for Release programme, helping support the recovery of this threatened species by raising healthy chicks that are released back into the wild. Protecting these birds is our highest priority and supports the long-term conservation of kārearea.

As a precaution, we are strengthening our onsite biosecurity measures. Key updates include:

🦅 School groups – Our Kārearea Kaitiaki education sessions will continue from The Nest as normal. Visitors will be asked to use disinfectant foot dips when entering the site. Tamariki will no longer enter the aviary building but will still have the opportunity to meet our advocacy kārearea, Koha, outside.

🥩 Meat donations – We are no longer accepting meat donations dropped at our Hunters Shed to help protect our existing food supply from potential contamination.

🏥 Rehabilitation admissions – At this stage, we are only accepting injured kārearea into care. We are establishing a dedicated quarantine area away from our main facility and are unable to admit other raptor species while we manage this increased biosecurity risk.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you come across a sick or dead wild bird:

1️⃣ Avoid – Do not touch or move the bird. Keep children and pets well away.

2️⃣ Record – If it is safe to do so, take photos or video and note the location, species, and number of birds affected.

3️⃣ Report – Report suspected cases to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) by calling 0800 80 99 66 or using their online reporting form.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we strengthen our biosecurity practices to protect the kārearea at our Centre. 💚

05/07/2026

After an incredible number of votes last week, we're delighted to introduce: McGregor. Thank you to everyone who took part in the naming competition and helped choose his name.

Unfortunately, McGregor is back in rehabilitation with our team after sustaining an injury as he continues adapting to life with vision in only one eye. Our team is doing everything we can for him and will share an update following his veterinary assessment later this week.

Caring for wildlife is filled with moments of celebration, but also unexpected challenges. Thank you for keeping McGregor in your thoughts, and for the incredible aroha and support our kārearea community continues to show 💚

01/07/2026

School Season is well underway! 🍎Thank you Marlborough Lines Ltd for sponsoring our School Education Programme. Making it free and accessible to all Marlborough primary schools to come learn about wildlife conservation and our fabulous-falcons! 🦅

28/06/2026

Ready for a New Beginning… and a New Name! 👍 Vote for Your Favourite!

This handsome male kārearea has travelled an incredible journey over the past few months thanks to the collaboration of the Department of Conservation, Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, Nelson Vets, and Kārearea Falcon Trust.

Today, we're thrilled to share the next chapter of his story.

👁️ His final veterinary eye examination at Nelson Vets confirmed that his damaged eye does not need to be surgically removed. Although his left eye is permanently blind and has shrunk following a globe collapse, it isn't causing him any discomfort. His third eyelid (nictitating membrane) has returned to full movement, helping to keep the eye moist and clean, and he's adapting brilliantly to life with one fully functioning eye.

He's now settled into his aviary, confidently exploring his new home and beginning the next phase of his life. In the coming weeks, we’ll be preparing for the early stages of introducing him to resident female kārearea, Kōwhai, with hopes they may form a successful breeding pair and produce chicks we can release to the wild, helping support the recovery of this threatened species.

This outcome simply wouldn't have been possible without the collaboration, dedication and expertise of everyone involved in his rescue, transport, treatment and rehabilitation. Every organisation played a vital part in giving this remarkable bird a second chance, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone who helped him along the way.

Now he needs one final thing... a name!
Vote for your favourite by "liking" it in the comment section below.

💧 McGregor – after Lake McGregor, where he was rescued
🌿 Kānuka – a native tree representing resilience and regeneration
⛰️ Tarn – inspired by the alpine lakes of his mountain home
👁️ Atarua – Te Reo Māori for "blurred" or "vision-impaired"
⭐ Rangi – Te Reo Māori for "sky", honoring the dark skies of Tekapo/Takapō region where he was from

The name with the most likes by the end of the week (Sunday 5pm) will become his official name.

12/06/2026

Going the distance for conservation! This wee male is doing well and we are working closely with Dunedin Wildlife Hospital as we continue to monitor and medicate his permanently damaged left eye. More updates on this chap soon! 🤎

A battered New Zealand falcon has been transported hundreds of kilometres by a team of relay drivers after being found injured on a rural South Island highway.

04/06/2026

🦅 Jenny's Journey 🦅 (Content warning: surgical photos)

In February 2018, a juvenile kārearea was found unconscious after striking a glass door on a farm near Fairlie. Despite best efforts from rescuers at the The New Zealand Raptor Trust Timaru, Jenny was left with a permanently drooping wing and neurological damage that meant she could never return to the wild. Instead, she joined the Kārearea Falcon Trust breed-for-release programme in 2019, where she became a much-loved resident alongside her mate Pari and has since helped strengthen the future of her species through offspring released into the wild.

Now seven and a half years old, Jenny still has many years ahead of her. That's why our team became concerned when routine health checks revealed a soft bulging lump above her cloaca. The mass was consistent with an abdominal hernia, and we immediately began working with our veterinary network to investigate.

What followed was a challenging journey requiring an incredible team effort.

According to experienced avian vet Dr Rachel Stanyer, Jenny's hernia was unusually large, with sections of her intestines having moved outside the abdominal cavity and into the hernia itself. After extensive testing, the good news was that Jenny was otherwise in excellent health. The weakened abdominal muscles were thought to be linked to injuries sustained during her original window strike years ago. The surgery was complex and the anaesthesia carried significant risks, but thanks to the expertise and dedication of the Nelson Vets team, Jenny was given yet another chance.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr Rachel Stanyer, Dr Adam Stanyer, veterinary nurses Daniella Essell, Jacqui Fairbairn and Roxy Ridgeway for the skill, care and teamwork they brought to Jenny's case.

Dr Rachel reflected: "We are thrilled that Jenny is recovering well after such major surgery. It is an absolute privilege for our team to have been able to help such a beautiful taonga and to support the work of the Kārearea Falcon Trust."

Back home, Jenny's recovery has been supported every step of the way by Holly Turner, Zoey Kung and Aoife Spokes, providing daily monitoring, medication, rehabilitation and plenty of TLC.

Today we're celebrating not only Jenny's progress, but also what can be achieved when passionate wildlife carers and dedicated veterinary professionals come together for a bird in need.

Jenny still has some healing ahead of her, but she's proving once again that she's one tough little falcon. ❤️🦅

20/05/2026

Falcon-fantastic-fundrasier coming in hot 🔥

TOMORROW at the W**e + Food Experience Marlborough in Blenheim, Auction for Falcons kicks off at 5:30pm.

Expect epic handcrafted artwork, giant falcon sculptures, silent and live auction action, good vibes, complimentary nibbles and drinks, and a whole lot of love for kārearea conservation 🦅✨

$20 donation at the door. Everyone is welcome: from folks just keen for an after work glass of w**e, through to serious bidders hunting for their next statement piece that gives back to a meaningful cause.

See you there and please bring a friend 🥂