Hūnua Bird Life
FAQ
We take adult birds of the following species:
- Kererū (woodpigeon)
- Ruru (morepork)
- Kōtare (kingfisher)
- Pīwakawaka (fantail)
- Riroriro (grey warbler)
- Tauhou (silvereye)
- Tūī
- Kākā
Have a look at Flock Birdcare Wellington’s bird rescue guide for detailed instructions.
Carefully place it in a ventilated box in a warm, dark and quiet spot.
When you transport it to a vet/rehabilitator, make sure to secure the box with a seatbelt.
No sorry, birds must be dropped off to us directly.
If it’s one of the species we admit, and we have the capacity and capability, absolutely!
But you do need to contact us in advance to check that we have space, and so that we know you’re coming. Please see the contact page for our phone number, address and opening hours.
No, admission is free.
You can give a koha if you would like, but there is no pressure to.
Please check Avian Empire’s NZ bird health map to find a rescue in your area.
If the bird is native, you can also contact DOC for guidance.
Please have a look at Flock Birdcare Wellington’s bird rescue guide.
Birds attacked by cats need antibiotics to recover, even if no wounds are visible. Please take the bird to a rehabilitation center or vet as soon as possible.
There are some situations in which the fire department can help out.
Please phone the non-emergency number of your local fire station.
The H5N1 high pathogenicity strain of avian influenza has not yet been recorded in New Zealand, but if you find three or more sick/injured birds together you should avoid touching them, and report it straight away.
Please phone the MPI exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66 and provide them the following information:
A GPS reading or other precise location information
Photographs and videos of sick and dead birds
Species name and estimate of the numbers affected
How many are sick or freshly dead, and the total number of birds present
Here is the link to their website for more information.
Carefully place it in a ventilated box in a warm, dark and quiet spot. After an hour, take the box outside and open it to see if the bird flies away. If it doesn’t, leave it in the box overnight and try again in the morning. If it still doesn’t fly away, take it to your nearest rehabilitation center or vet.
Don’t attempt to give the bird food or water, it just needs to rest.
Birds can’t really see glass, so the best way to prevent collision is to put something they can see on your windows. The cheapest solution is to draw on the glass using a whiteboard marker or chalk pen. You can also purchase anti-collision window stickers/screens, or hang things in front of the glass.
If it’s a native species, it's illegal to rehabilitate it without a DOC permit.
If it’s a non-native species, you are allowed to care for it yourself. You should take it to a rehabilitation center if you can though, because sick/injured birds usually require highly specialized care.
Yes, Hūnua Bird Life is permitted for the species on our admission list. Our permit number is 82549-FAU.
Yes, Hunua Bird Life works with Avian Empire and Veterinary Associates Takanini.
Yes, Hūnua Bird Life is a registered Charitable Trust (CC62722).
We are funded almost exclusively through private donations.
No, our time is donated.
The only exception is if we contract someone for specialized work that we cannot do ourselves, such as design work and some veterinary procedures.