North Island Robin – Toutouwai

Petroica longipes

North Island Robins are now extinct in the Tangihua ranges

Formerly widespread over the North Island The North Island Robin is now distributed mostly in the centre of North Island, with small relict populations in the north at Moturua Island in the Bay of Islands and Little Barrier Island. Since 1991, populations have been established on several predator-free islands such as Tiritiri Matangi,

North Island Robin Breeding

Although the oldest Robin known lived to at least 16 years of age, most have a much shorter lifespan. Both sexes start breeding when one year old. The breeding season of the North Island Robin starts in September and extends to February. At sites where food is readily available, pairs rear two, and occasionally three, broods in a season.

The nest, commonly built in a trunk or branch-trunk fork, consists of an outer layer of twigs, fibers and moss bound together with cobwebs. The inner layer consists of moss, fine grasses, and/or tree fern scales.

As well as building the nest on her own, the female incubates her clutch of 2-3, unusually 4, eggs on her own. However, during both of these phases of the nesting cycle, her mate brings her food about 3 times an hour through the day. Incubation lasts about 18 days, chick-rearing about 21 days. The male assists with chick-rearing, and once the chicks have left the nest, each parent looks after particular fledglings.

Behaviour and ecology

Pairs remain in their territories most of the time, occasionally sneaking into neighbouring territories to feed or go elsewhere to drink and bathe. Males dominate their mates during the non-breeding season, such that pair members are usually found apart.

The North Island Robin Diet

The North Island Robin is a terrestrial feeder foraging on or near the ground . Prey items are located by perch-hunting, where an individual waits at an elevated perch until prey is spotted, or by active searching; prey is taken from the leaf-litter, low vegetation (branches and foliage) and tree trunks.
Numerous  invertebrate  prey are consumed, including  cicadas, earthworms, wetas, snails, and spiders. Fruit is also taken. North Island Robins cache food supplies for later when prey is plentiful, although males cache more food than females do.  Both sexes will steal food from their mate’s cache, and are less likely to cache food if their mate is present

Recovery plan

Issue

Because they are ground feeders many mainland populations were eliminated through predation by introduced mammals (particularly rats, stoats and cats).
Eggs, nestlings and adult females (which carry out incubation and brooding of young at night) are frequently preyed upon where predators are not controlled. As a result populations become male biased. Where pest control is carried out, populations increase rapidly, and the sex ratio returns to almost 1:1 within a few years – there are usually a few more males than females.

Action

Very long term if at all possible

• Removal of predators
• Re-established by transferring birds