Petroica Traversi

By Annie Gummer

The Black Robin eats •Grubs• Cockroaches, •Wetas•Worms.

•The Black Robin also eats other small insects on the ground-what they specifically are DOC can’t tell because nobody has does the necessary research (and they are pretty hard to see!)

• The main population lives in the Chatham Islands, South East Island and Mangere Island.

• They live in woody vegetation under the canopy of trees-beneath the branches of the Aheake trees.

• To shelter from the strong winds and rough seas around the islands, the black robin spends a lot of time in the lower branches of the forest.

Yes! Black Robins are safe from pests in the island homes but sometimes larger bird species break their eggs.

Mangere Island

Photographed By Tania Kemp

South East Island

In 1980 there were only 5 black robins in the whole world.

Now the total population stands around 250 from both islands. Though it’s not possible to get an exact count because the younger birds do not have coloured leg bands.

• The Black Robins population is getting to big for Mangere and South East Islands so many chicks have no where to go and are just dying.

• One problem is that all the black robins have similar DNA (because all the Black Robins alive are descended from one pair Old Blue and Old Yellow). This means that each bird will have similar weakness and strengths so unfortunately this means they could al be killed by one disease.

•Avian Pos is a common one, and parasites (mites) in the nest can cause the chicks some difficulty. They are the ones DOC know about but there are probably lots more DOC doesn’t know about.

How often do they breed?

Every year and if eggs are lost they will relay another clutch.

Breeding Facts:

•Black robins like to nest in hollow trees and tree stumps.

•Eggs are laid between early October and late December. Generally two eggs are laid but it is sometimes just one, or maybe three.

•The female robin will make the nest and while she lays and incubates the eggs the male will feed the female so she can rest.

•Eggs are creamy in colour with purple splotches.

•When the eggs are laid the female will sit on them to keep them warm until they hatch in about 18 days. Then both parents will help to feed the chicks.

•Young robins stay in the nest for about 23 days after hatching, but even after leaving the nest the parents will continue to feed them until they are about 65 days old. This is much longer than other birds of the black robins size.

•Chicks often spend the first day or two, after leaving the nest, on the ground – a dangerous place to be for a defenceless chick if there are enemies around!

•Is there a Black Robin Group?

•Is there a fundraising group?

•Black Robin Programme?

•Not Easily! There is Black Robin Group, or programme and no specific fundraising programme-yet.

DOC hope to soon set up a Chatham Island Conservation Trust, one aim of which will be to return the black robin to the main Chatham Island. So I hope to look out for this and support it in the future!

•If you are traveling to the Chatham Islands, or transporting goods or livestock there, be careful that you don't inadvertently introduce pest animals or plants or diseases that might threaten black robin or other rare and endangered flora and fauna in this unique environment.

Websites:

www.kcc.org.nz/birds/blackrobin.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Robin

www.doc.org.nz

Book

Old Blue written by Dr Don Merton illustrated by Mary Taylor.

Music on Slideshow:

Dream to meet Written and recorded by my Aunty Helen Gummer.

“This song is about Mangere Island, Chatham Islands. It just describes a day from dawn to dusk on Mangere, and is about the desire to ‘meet’ the island when is fully restored which is obviously never going to happen in my lifetime ! It’s and island a lot like South East where I lived, with many endangered species, and heaving with seabirds at night time (fluttering ghosts) and insects (jointed limbs) everywhere as

there are no rats etc.”

Helen Gummer

I would like to say a big thank-you to:

•Dave Houston-Conversation Support Officer, Biodiversity.

• My Aunty Helen.

•Mr. Lloyd

And anyone else that helped me that I may of missed.