By R.J. PIERCE, R. F. MALONEY, E. NEILL, S.M. O’CONNOR

SEPTEMBER 2002

Contract Report No. 477

Report prepared for:

DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

P.O. BOX 10-420

WELLINGTON

CONTENTS

1.         Introduction                                                                                                            1

2.         OVERVIEW OF THE PATEKE RECOVERY PROGRAMME                                 1

2.1       Short-term recovery plan                                                                                  1

2.2       Secure breeding populations at three locations on Aotea                           2

2.3       Secure breeding populations of pateke at three Northland sites                 2

2.4       Establish a third secure breeding population at a new managed
location                                                                                                               3

2.5       Experimental releases                                                                                      3

2.6       Captive breeding programme                                                                         3

2.7       Undertake specific research to help in the recovery of pateke                    3

2.8       Develop and apply best management practise to pateke
conservation management and research activities                                       3

3.         Objectives of MONITORING protocol                                                         3

3.1       Pateke monitoring objectives                                                                          3

3.2       Protocol objective                                                                                              4

4.         Monitoring parameters at managed sites                                            4

5.         Recommended pateke monitoring protocols for MIMIWHANGATA and OKIWI      5

5.1       Flock counts                                                                                                       5

5.2       Adult survival                                                                                                      9

5.3       Hatching success and duckling survival                                                       11

5.4       Juvenile survival                                                                                               13

5.5       Cause of death                                                                                                15

5.6       Dispersal patterns                                                                                           16

6.         Monitoring at release sites                                                                        17

7.         ONGOING MONITORING OF SMALL POPULATIONS                                         18

8.         Predator, RABBIT AND Rat monitoring                                                     20

9.         OVERALL PATEKE MONITORING                                                                          21

10.      RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES                                                                                22

Acknowledgments                                                                                                       22

APPENDICES

1.         Pateke flock counts for multiple sites                                                                       25

2.         Pateke roll calls transmittered birds                                                                         26

3.         Pateke handling and banding field datasheet                                                         28

4.         Pateke nest data sheet                                                                                              29

5.         Pateke death certificate                                                                                             30

6.         Miscellaneous predator sightings in pateke management areas                         31

7.         Database fields                                                                                                           32

© Wildland Consultants Ltd 2002

 This report has been produced by Wildland Consultants Ltd for Department of Conservation.  All copyright in this report is the property of Wildland Consultants Ltd and any unauthorised publication, reproduction, or adaptation of this report is a breach of that copyright.