Digital Philanthropy: Restore Our Dawn Chorus

Image by Light Knight via FlickrSince humans landed on New Zealand shores about 800 years ago about 50 species of birds have become extinct. Prior to that, the country's geological isolation and abscence of native land mammals meant that there is an amazing diversity of animals and plants that are found nowhere else - and that have adapted to an environment free of large predators.

Introduced mammals including possums, rats, stoats, feral cats, pigs, goats and deer are destroying our forests and the birdlife in them. Some eat eggs and chicks, some kill adults on nests and others eat the plants and insects the birds feed on.

Pests have been eradicated from some offshore islands. Their habitats are recovering and endangered species are bouncing back.

To stop further decline of bird numbers and even extinctions there needs to be widespread and effective pest control on the mainland.

Forest & Bird’s advocacy for effective pest control and its involvement in habitat restoration projects is helping to restore the dawn chorus in New Zealand forests.

Click here to hear some of New Zealands most beautiful songbirds and to donate to Forest & Bird's campaign to keep them singing.