Looking for New Zealand's most elusive bird

[@Mac_Arlo]

11 minutes of heart warming content. Thank you.

[@maxwellbarrett]

its easier to sleep at night knowing theres people like him out there doing what ought be done!

[@MrCabbidge]

Always fantastic to hear from someone who is living a life that they love. He's a lucky man to be spending those twilight years in the bush and I hope he's got many more to come!

[@cassinirose]

absolutely wonderful little film, and what an awesome guy!

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Such a good film, thanks for this!

[@johnmead8437]

An approachable & knowledgeable (possibly keenly optimistic) expert on birds is Rhys, like Ken on moose. A couple of days in the scrub with him would be educational for your future channel content & presentation of issues with rare species. This species might persist in a few sites ranging from quite accessible to remote and difficult, so more options exist than the likes of moose hunting.

[@JoshStobart]

Having heard the North Island Kokako once, I can imagine how beautiful this bird's song must be. I live in hope and hope to be in a position to help with conservation efforts if the bird is found. Until then, Matuku and Pateke are the birds on which my efforts are spent. They might not be as glamorous but they still deserve to be a part of our ecosystem and have a beauty that is understated.

[@johnmead8437]

Might be educational to add Banded rails & crakes to the interest list. They seem to be in similar situation to bitterns & under the radar. Few are seen apart from as cat toys.

[@JoshStobart]

​@@johnmead8437 funny you should say that. We do keep an eye on spotless crake numbers and we had a very disappointing count last year. Our team went out with Auckland Zoo and we managed to hear a grand total of 1 crake and we couldn't rule out that it wasn't one of the other team's recordings that we heard so we're definitely aware there's an issue. Bittern numbers look surprisingly good this year at least despite the flooding. We've seen good numbers and the Pateke count is good too, though we haven't done a proper count for a while. I'm not aware of any banded rails in our wetland area but I'll see if i can find someone who knows. Ideally we don't want to be spending any amount of time in the areas that they would be found in though, as with the other birds. They won't stay in an area if they are disturbed too often so we're limited in how many counts we can do and which species we focus on.

[@timwaaka4923]

Kia ora I am now hooked Nga mihi nui kia koe

[@chrisbrook6656]

You're legendary , thanks brother 🙏

[@ElectroDrives]

I have been doing a lot of work for the Ark in the Park in the Waitakere Ranges for the last 10 years. The North Island Kokako has a truly majestic and reverberating call, and I have only heard it a handful of times in the past decade. So, I cannot even fathom the haunting existence and how mystical the South Island kokako would be in the forests of the South Island.

[@katibah34]

thanks for this comment i haven't heard of Ark in the Park

[@Francisramil]

I like to do it also there in New Zealand zoon. A great experience finding and photographing birds.

[@lawrenceadams1649]

Wow... Wonderful ...Thank you for posting

[@magdalena_dewinter]

beautiful bird

[@graemeblackledge2076]

nga mihi nui ... thanks, loved this

[@Francisramil]

I wish I could go with you for one expedition of searching birds there.

[@quintinout]

Thank you so much !

[@katibah34]

lovely content, I live in Auckland but i wish i could join

[@Rarasrevenge]

right on mate!

[@uggali]

Hold on to hope Many lost species are out there

[@johnmead8437]

It's a real shame DoC dropped the ball on this species. The recent records provided when DoC was created were disdainfully ignored due to the observers not being select staff or scientists, an intellectual snobbery that has thrived in their ranks. Repeated 20 years later, about the time its status was reviewed and removed from "extinct". The possibility they persist seems finite, it would be reward for many years effort for Rhys to get sound proof.

[@buzzard732]

Don't think that 1080 is helping!😢

[@FURN220]

I think that 1080 is helping greatly

[@creed8196]

Is this show real or fake? Just the way some of the people talk in the videos and how it seems acted

[@joW-u3c]

Maybe there is an island in New Zealand which is uninhabited by humans , and where both the huja and kukaku birds live happily.

[@DOCTRJ]

🦜🤠

[@Silvius.2]

🙏 best for NZ pretators free island . No another place on earth so an bird country was like aotearoa. Saving your nature or be nothing else then ordinary world? Sorry but trues... NZ i trust mostly to acting for they land to protect.

[@mikew2095]

Great Docos Frank. Real homegrown stuff. I’m from chch but live in Australia and miss the South Island and its special places and species so is great to always see the backyard of home!

[@CHHHHHYYZZAAAA]

God bless you brother🙏🏽