Native Nest Nz

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Native Nest Nz

Native Nest is a rescue and rehabilitation service - a lifeline for sick and injured NZ native birds. Donations can be made through the website.

Run by volunteers we provide a pathway to recovery and release for birds from Aucklands Northshore to Kaiwaka.

31/10/2026

🔎 A Little Treasure Hunt at Native Nest! 🥝💚

We’ve been busy preparing the ground for our new outdoor aviaries, which could potentially be used to house kiwi in the future!

One of the important jobs has been going over the area with a metal detector, searching for any hidden pieces of metal, nails, screws and other objects buried beneath the ground.

You might be surprised to learn that kiwi can be attracted to metal objects, which can be incredibly dangerous if swallowed. Their long, sensitive beaks are designed to probe the ground for food, so making sure their environment is free from these hazards is especially important.

And just look at what we’ve found! 😮

Every piece of metal in the photo was discovered buried underground, completely out of sight!

It’s one of those behind-the-scenes jobs that might not seem particularly exciting, but it’s an incredibly important part of creating a safe environment for the birds in our care.

Lots of preparation goes into building these aviaries, and we’re looking forward to sharing more progress soon!

29/10/2026

🐦 Feeding Time for Our Baby Tūi! 💚

A little update on the two young tūi that recently came into our care from Silverdale!

As you can see in the video, these two are certainly not shy about letting us know when they’re hungry!

They’re opening their beaks wide, just as they would when begging their parents for food in the wild.

Here at Native Nest, we make our own baby bird feeding mix, adjusting the ingredients to suit the nutritional needs of different species.

For these two tūi, we’ve even added a small amount of nectar to their mix, as nectar forms an important part of a tūi’s natural diet.

These little ones need feeding every two and a half hours throughout the day, from 6am until 10pm! It’s a big commitment, but giving them the nutrition they need at this stage is so important for their growth and development.

It’s pretty special getting to see these little ones up close and watching their natural feeding instincts in action.

There’s still plenty of growing to do, but for now, feeding time is definitely a highlight!

27/10/2026

🥝 Learning from the Best at Auckland Zoo! 💚

We’ve recently had the incredible opportunity to spend some time at Auckland Zoo, learning from their amazing team of vets and vet nurses.

With Native Nest now approved to rehabilitate kiwi, it’s been invaluable to gain hands-on experience in the care and handling of sick and injured kiwi.

We’ve been learning about different feeding techniques depending on a kiwi’s condition and stage of recovery, how to safely administer medications, and the specialised care these incredible birds require.

It’s also been hugely helpful to learn about their quarantine procedures, handling trays and the systems they have in place to safely care for sick birds and minimise the risk of spreading illness.

It’s been an absolute privilege to learn from people with such a wealth of knowledge and experience. Every bit of training helps us build our skills and ensures we’re as prepared as possible to provide the best care for kiwi that may come through our doors.

A huge thank you to the wonderful team at Auckland Zoo for sharing their time, knowledge and expertise with us. We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity!

25/10/2026

🐦 Two Baby Tūi in Our Care! 💚

We’ve recently welcomed two young tūi into Native Nest after they were found in Silverdale.

The people who found them did a great job of keeping an eye on them first, watching to see whether they could fly and if their parents were still around.

After some time observing, it became clear that neither bird was able to fly, there were no parents in sight, and with cats in the area, they were at risk.

Both youngsters are now safely in our care and are needing to be hand-fed while they continue to grow and develop.

It’s important to remember that young birds often spend time on the ground while learning to fly, and their parents may still be nearby feeding them. This is why observing from a distance before intervening is so important, provided the birds aren’t in immediate danger.

For now, these two have plenty of growing to do, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on their progress!

22/10/2026

🦉 Did You Notice? 👀💚

Following on from our recent post about the ruru currently in our care, we thought we’d share a little insight into some of the things we look for when assessing an injured bird.

This ruru was found sitting on someone’s front lawn, which was already a sign that something wasn’t quite right.

But there are a few other important signs we’ve been monitoring:

Head movements - Unusual head movements or difficulty holding the head steady can indicate a neurological injury.

Balance and coordination - Ruru normally use one foot to perch while holding food in the other. This little one is currently struggling to balance on one foot, making it difficult to eat independently.

Unequal pupil sizes - One of this ruru’s pupils is noticeably larger than the other. This is known as anisocoria and can be a sign of head trauma or neurological problems.

Poor balance - Difficulty standing, perching or moving normally can suggest that the bird’s nervous system has been affected.

These are all important clues that help us understand what might be happening and how best to support a bird’s recovery.

Recovery from head trauma can vary considerably. Some birds show significant improvement within just a few days, while others may take several weeks to recover. It all depends on the severity of the injury, and unfortunately, not every bird will make a full recovery.

Sometimes it’s the little things that tell us the most.

This ruru still has some recovering to do, but we’re keeping a close eye on its progress and giving it the time and support it needs.

We’ll keep you updated!

21/10/2026

🐦 Tauhau / Silvereye Released 💚

A lovely outcome for our little tauhau!

After coming into our care injured and unable to fly, he has made a fantastic recovery.

After progressing from our indoor wall-mounted cage to a larger outdoor cage, he was absolutely full of energy and showing us all the signs that he was ready for release.

This release was extra special, as we got to share it with our granddaughter. After a walk through Kōwhai Park, we found the perfect spot to release him.

And if you listen carefully at the end of the video, you’ll hear our granddaughter say, “He’s going back to his family.” 🥹💚

Such a special moment to share with the next generation, and a wonderful ending for this little bird!

19/10/2026

🦉 A New Ruru in Our Care 💚

We’ve recently welcomed another ruru into Native Nest after it was found on someone’s front lawn.

We’re not entirely sure what happened, but we suspect it may have been hit by a car or flown into a window.

Unfortunately, this little one has suffered what appears to be a head injury and is currently recovering in our hospital.

Head injuries can be particularly challenging for ruru. They can affect a bird’s balance, coordination, vision and ability to fly or hunt. Even when there are no obvious external injuries, the effects of a head impact can be quite serious.

For now, we’re keeping this ruru in a quiet, safe environment, giving it time to rest while we closely monitor its condition.

We’re hopeful that with some time and supportive care, we’ll start to see some improvement.

We’ll keep you updated on its progress.

17/10/2026

🐦 From Rescue to Release! What Happens to a Bird in Our Care? 💚

Ever wondered what happens when a native bird arrives at Native Nest? Every bird and every injury is different, but their journey through rehabilitation often looks a little something like this…

🚑 1. Arrival & Assessment
Birds come to us from members of the public, DOC, vets and other organisations. Some have already been assessed and X-rayed by a vet, while others may need to be taken to the vet for further examination or X-rays.

🏥 2. ICU & Brooder
If a bird is particularly unwell, injured or unstable, it will usually start its stay in our ICU room in one of our brooders.

A brooder provides a warm, quiet and controlled environment, helping a sick or injured bird conserve the energy it would otherwise use trying to keep itself warm. This gives it the best opportunity to rest and stabilise while we provide the care it needs.

🐦 3. Wall-Mounted Rehabilitation Cages
Once the bird is stronger and no longer requires the extra support of the brooder, it can graduate to one of our wall-mounted cages. Here it has more space and can continue recovering while still being closely monitored.

🌿 4. Outdoor Aviary
The next step is one of our outdoor aviaries. This gives the bird much more room to move, fly and rebuild its strength in a more natural environment. It also allows us to make sure it is behaving and feeding as it should before release.

💚 5. RELEASE!
The best part! Once we’re confident the bird is healthy, strong and ready to look after itself again, it can be released back into the wild.

Not every bird will follow exactly the same path, but the goal is always the same, to give each bird the care it needs to get back where it belongs.

From the ICU to the aviary and eventually back to the wild, this is exactly what our purpose-built facilities were created for. 💚

15/10/2026

🕊️ Kererū Released Home 💚

We’re so happy to share that this beautiful kererū has now been released back home!

After arriving in very poor condition following a window strike, it was extremely skinny and needed force feeding to help build its strength. After some time in our care, it began eating on its own, moved into the aviary and continued to make great progress.

It was finally strong and ready enough to return to where it came from. 💚

It’s always such a rewarding moment to see a bird go from being so unwell to flying free again. 🥰

13/10/2026

🐦 Tauhau / Silvereye Update 💚

Our little tauhau has been making great progress!

It has now graduated from its indoor wall-mounted cage and moved into a larger outdoor cage. This gives it more space to stretch its wings, move around and continue building up its strength.

It’s looking brighter and stronger every day, and we’re really happy with how things are going. 💚

Address

Matakana
Auckland
0986

Website

http://nativenestrehab.co.nz/

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