A surge in kōkako chicks across Auckland’s Hūnua Ranges is being celebrated as one of New Zealand’s greatest conservation success stories, with a record number of breeding pairs producing what rangers describe as a season of toddler-style chaos in the bush.
The latest census has recorded an extraordinary 418 breeding pairs of North Island kōkako in the Hūnua Ranges, representing a 61 percent increase since the last survey in 2022, when 259 pairs were counted. The result cements Hūnua as the largest mainland population of kōkako in Aotearoa.
Conservation teams say the boom has brought an abundance of fledglings into the forest, with young birds following parents through the canopy, learning feeding behaviours and testing their wings as they prepare for independence.
The kōkako, known for its haunting song and distinctive blue wattles, was once on the brink of local extinction in the Hūnua Ranges. In the 1990s, only a single breeding pair remained in the area, raising fears the taonga species could disappear entirely from the region.
Today, the dramatic turnaround is being credited to decades of collaboration between mana whenua, volunteers, conservation groups, Auckland Council and the Department of Conservation. Intensive predator control, habitat restoration and long-term monitoring have allowed the population to recover beyond expectations.
The success of the Hūnua project is now benefiting kōkako populations elsewhere. Earlier this year, birds from the ranges were translocated to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, marking the first time the thriving Hūnua population has been able to support another recovery programme.
Conservation experts say predator control remains critical to maintaining the species’ recovery. Introduced predators such as rats, stoats and possums continue to pose a major threat to eggs and chicks, making sustained management essential for future breeding success.
Across the North Island, iwi-led conservation projects are also playing a growing role in protecting kōkako habitat. In the Bay of Plenty, predator-control programmes have achieved significant gains for kōkako breeding success by reducing rat populations in key forest areas.
For many Māori communities, the kōkako is more than a conservation success story. The bird is regarded as a taonga species, closely connected to the health of the ngahere and the exercise of kaitiakitanga.
Environmental leaders say the latest baby boom demonstrates what can be achieved through long-term commitment, strong partnerships and sustained investment in protecting native species.
With hundreds of young kōkako now filling the forests with song, conservationists say the challenge is to build on that momentum and ensure future generations inherit healthy forests where taonga species can continue to thrive.
