New Zealand fairy tern

Subspecies of bird

The New Zealand fairy tern or tara iti (Sternula nereis davisae) is a subspecies of the fairy tern endemic to New Zealand. It is New Zealand's rarest native breeding bird, with about 40 individuals left in the wild. It nests at four coastal locations between Whangarei and Auckland in the North Island. It is threatened by introduced predators, extreme storms and tides, beach activity, and waterfront development. The New Zealand fairy tern is distinguishable from the other two subspecies on the basis of its morphology and behaviour, and has a distinct genetic haplotype. Genetic studies found there was almost no gene flow or migration between the New Zealand and Australian populations.

The New Zealand fairy tern was noted as being common in the late 19th century. However, these records have been suggested as inaccurate as the birds can be difficult to distinguish from little terns. From 1940 to 1983, the New Zealand fairy tern was known to have bred at several sites along the northern coastline of the North Island. Their breeding range extended from Ruakaka, in Northland, to Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. However, from the mid 1970s, the population declined rapidly. In August 2018, the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Defence Force worked to build a nest site ahead of the breeding season at Papakanui.

Unlike other species of terns which forage in the open ocean, the New Zealand fairy tern is not a plunge diver, but instead feeds in the top 5–8 cm of the water; it can capture prey in extremely shallow water such as estuaries and tidal pools. Adult birds have been observed feeding gobies (Favonigobius lentiginosus and F. exquisitus) and flounders (Rhombosolea sp.) to their chicks, and adult diet may include a substantial number of shrimps. Birds were observed foraging in Te Arai Stream, the mouth of which is a popular flocking for post breeding fairy terns, but appeared to be getting most of their food from elsewhere. Nests are small unlined scrapes in the sand and are roped off and monitored by The Department of Conservation.</blockquote>Females spend more time incubating eggs than males, while males provide the majority of food to the chicks. The chicks are mobile from hatching, and ready to fully fledge from 30 days old. Mangawhai and Papakanui Spit nest sites became protected in 1983, and a site at Waipu in 1994. In 2019, there are 45 individuals and approximately 12 breeding pairs. A fairy tern recovery plan was created in 2005, and aimed to cover strategy over 10 years, but the recovery group was dissolved before the end of that term. The New Zealand Fairy Tern Trust, established in 2008, contributes to the conservation effort by donating up to $40,000 annually for predator trapping. As part of its Treaty settlement, Te Uri o Hau purchased land in the Mangawhai Forest, and signed a co governance agreement with developer Te Arai North. Two thousand homes were originally proposed for the development, however after opposition from The Te Arai Beach Preservation Society, Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, and others, this was scaled back to 46 homes and a 196 hectare public park. Disagreement stems from the damming of the Te Arai Stream, interfering with the life cycle of fish said to be key to the diet of fairy terns. In 2019, scientists who have been studying fairy terns at Mangawhai on Northland's east coast now suspect the bird's decline may be linked to the removal of mangroves from the harbour.