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 wetland habitat loss and degradation is the biggest threat to their existence, there are other contributing factors - and THINGS WE CAN DO NOW to help protect the Bittern in our backyards.
Looking at research from New Zealand, Australia and the UK we've come up with ten features of a intact Bittern Habitat which can be assessed using the 'Habitat for Hurepo' assessment program.
'Habitat for Hurepo' explores three main factors - food, family and security. The features
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 vast areas of reeds and rushes with little or no trees. Cover on or near shallow water for feeding.
LITTLE OR NO HUMAN DISTURBANCE