New Zealand Fairy Tern Charitable Trust

18/09/2026

Tune in to this fascinating podcast series about Aotearoa's rarest endemic bird, the tara iti (fairy tern), by scientist and fiction writer Melissa Gunn.

In Episode One, we meet long-time tara iti volunteer Susan, who shares her remarkable experience helping protect this critically endangered species.

"For me, it's fascinating because every bird's got a story," says Susan. "I can identify every single one out there by the leg band."

Listen to hear about the challenges and threats this brave little coastal manu faces, and the dedicated people working to secure its future.

🎧 Click the link to listen: https://media.rss.com/tara-iti-terning-the-tide/feed.xml

16/09/2026

The excuse me face …
When you realise folk are not voting for you.
Still time everyone !
Forest & Bird bird of the Year
Photo credit Darren Markin

14/09/2026

🌿 Ngā Taonga o Te Tai Tokerau | Tara iti

Hei whakanui i Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, this week we're celebrating some of the special taonga species of Te Tai Tokerau — and sharing a little reo along the way.

🐦 Tara iti | New Zealand fairy tern

Tara iti is Aotearoa New Zealand's rarest breeding bird. Once found around much of the country, today this precious manu breeds at only a small number of sites in Te Tai Tokerau.

There is hope for this little manu. Thanks to ongoing protection and conservation mahi, tara iti continue to be carefully monitored and supported as we work towards a more secure future for this precious species.

Protecting tara iti is a collective effort involving mana whenua, DOC, conservation partners, volunteers and local communities — from predator control and monitoring to protecting their vulnerable nesting areas.

Kupu o te rā | Word of the day 🌱
Manu – bird | Tiaki – to care for or protect | Taonga – something treasured

He taonga te tara iti.
Tara iti is a treasured species.

Kia kaha te reo Māori! 💚

06/09/2026

why wouldn’t you 😍

06/09/2026

Why wouldn’t you .?

04/09/2026

It’s that time of year when supporters of all birds go crazy .:)
So now’s the time to vote for your favourite in the Forest and Bird ‘ Bird of the Year ‘
We all need your help.
https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz

Photo credit Darren Markin

03/09/2026

Dear members and friends .
It’s our AGM on the 27th September 2pm start and we would love to see you there.
Everyone is welcome.

31/08/2026

Hello Members .
Your latest Newsletter should be winging its way into your post boxes. Please let us know if you haven’t received yours. It’s a bumper packed edition.
Photo Credit Darren Markin

30/08/2026

Who’s your sea burb 😍

29/08/2026

What a great Dad

Bertrum is 22 years old, has 25 offspring to his name, and has just equalled the record for the oldest tara iti documented.

His species was down to three or four breeding pairs in 1983. The March census counted around 44 birds in the wild, up from roughly 36 at the start of the season, and Auckland Zoo released ten captive-reared fledglings on top of that, the zoo’s best rearing year yet.

Eleven pairs bred over the summer. For New Zealand’s rarest endemic breeding bird, nesting in open scrapes on a handful of beaches and sandspits from Bream Bay to Pākiri and around the Kaipara, that is a season worth marking.

Follow the recovery: nznaturefund.org/projects/tara-iti