Wellington, NZ - Zealandia is proud to announce that New Zealand's smallest bird is coming to Wellington city. Around 60 tītipounamu / rifleman are being translocated to the sanctuary to establish a wild population from Wainuiomata in mid-March.

This translocation has been in planning for a number of years, and has now been made possible because of an increase in tītipounamu numbers in the Wainuiomata Mainland Island.

“We’re really positive about the translocation of the tītipounamu to ZEALANDIA, we want to see the species take wing across the region," said Councillor Prue Lamason, Parks Portfolio Leader, Greater Wellington Regional Council

“We’re starting to see the impact of ZEALANDIA’s halo effect, with native birds now much more common in the capital," said Lamason.

"It’s heartening that Greater Wellington is adding to that by providing a source for species that in time will also begin to colonise the capital.”

This translocation will contribute to the conservation of tītipounamu across the region, by establishing another population, safe-guarded in the sanctuary from introduced predators.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing these beautiful manu, these birds, here within the safety of the ZEALANDIA fence," said Dr Danielle Shanahan, Director of the Centre for People and Nature at Zealandia.

"Hopefully, all going well, within a few years we'll see them spilling beyond the Zealandia fence and into the suburbs of Wellington."

Tītipounamu/rifleman are the ninth bird species to be brought back to Wellington by Zealandia.

This transloaction is supported by Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council, Taranaki Whānui, Department of Conservation, and Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

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