Habitat for Hurepo
What does it take for Bittern to thrive and not just survive?
Matuku-hurepo | Australasian Bittern are on the brink of extinction in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally endangered. Bittern live in wetlands from the mountains right down to the sea, from Cape Reinga to Rakiura.
While there are other contributing factors wetland habitat loss and degradation is the biggest threat to their existence.
'Habitat for Hurepo' helps us to focus on a few SIMPLE THINGS WE CAN DO NOW to help protect the Bittern in our backyards.
Click here for our on-land series which cuts straight to the chase for people that are looking after the land with some simple ways you can help!
Looking at research from New Zealand, Australia and the UK we came up with the features of a intact Bittern habitat and travelled around Aotearoa to test these features and get feedback - gathering and sharing our collective knowledge.
Habitat for Hurepo - a simple assessment guide and score sheet can be found here
'Habitat for Hurepo' - three pillars, food, family (that's us too!) and security-
Food
ABUNDANCE -presence and abundance of eels, fish or frogs.
APPROPRIATENESS - a high proportion of native food species
AVAILABILITY - Bittern are visual hunters and require clear shallow water to see their prey...as water levels change so does availability
SUCCESSION - a habitat that is connected to fish/eel spawning grounds, replenishable or successive food sources
Family
POPULATION -monitor your Bittern population so you know if it is growing or declining OR use an indicator species to check your on the right track.
INDIVIDUALS - Learn to recognise the individual Bittern, their patterns and behavour.
COMMUNITY - help raise awareness for Bittern in your local community, encouraging catchment scale restoration of wetlands and waterways.
Security
PESTS- regular monitoring and effective control of mammalian and plant pests.
SCALE -vast areas of emergent vegetation for secure breeding and feeding territories.
VEGETATION - Large areas of reeds and rushes with little or no trees. Cover on or near shallow water for feeding.
LITTLE OR NO HUMAN DISTURBANCE