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Providing evidence to improve practice

Action: Control predators not on islands for parrots Bird Conservation

Key messages

A replicated, controlled trial in New Zealand found increased kaka Nestor meridionalis nesting success and lower predation at sites with mammal predator removal than at unmanaged sites.

 

Supporting evidence from individual studies

1 

A replicated, controlled trial in New Zealand (Moorhouse et al. 2003) found that the nesting success of kakas Nestor meridionalis was significantly higher at three sites with control (80–87% of 70 nests successful) than at three unmanaged sites (10–38% of 43 nests). Predation rate of nesting females was also significantly lower at sites with predator control (5% of 38 tracked females vs. 65% of 17). Stoats Mustela erminea, common brushtail possums Trichosurus vulpecula and rats Rattus spp. were controlled with trapping and poisoning with 1080 sodium monofluoroacetate and anticoagulents. Data comes from 1996-2000 for five sites and 1984-1996 for one (unmanaged) site.

 

Referenced papers

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2018) Bird Conservation. Pages 95-244 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, N. Ockendon, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2018. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.