High hopes for chicks

Battler’s cry: The skrark of kakapo chicks could soon be heard on Cod Fish Island with the breeding season getting under way.Despite food sources being below desired levels, the Department of Conservation is confident the first skrarks of kakapo chicks will be heard on Cod Fish Island since 2011, bolstering the numbers of the critically endangered species.

Male kakapo have begun booming to attract a mate on Cod Fish Island and DOC is expecting the ladies to respond to their advances.

There are only 124 known surviving kakapo on three New Zealand offshore islands.

Codfish Island, near Stewart Island, and Anchor Island, in Fiordland, are home to most of the remaining kakapo population, with a few birds on Little Barrier Island near Auckland.

After failing to breed during the past two seasons, a low rimu fruit count this season has again tempered expectations for staff at the Kakapo Recovery Programme.

Rimu fruit is an important food source for female kakapo and it was believed female kakapo used the availability of the fruit as a cue for breeding.

But conservation services manager for kakapo and takahe Deidre Vercoe said there were some rimu trees with good fruit supplies and if they were in a female's home range, some nesting could still occur.

''We are pretty sure breeding will occur and our guesstimate is between 5-10 nests.''