Battle for Our Birds

The Department of Conservation has launched a campaign, Battle for our Birds, which is a predator control response to protect New Zealand’s native wildlife from terrestrial predators such as rats, stoats and possums.

In winter, the stoats will feed on the high number of rats. In spring, when the seed rots or germinates, there is no seed left for rats to eat so they turn to bird eggs and nestlings as a food source. In the next summer the stoat numbers explode as a result of the high rat numbers, and then they also turn to birds for food. Birds, their eggs and nestlings are all preyed upon in this predator-plague cycle.

This game pits New Zealand Native birds against their predators. Hurl objects of kiwiana - such as the gumboot, lamington and jandal at the predators to destroy their structures and eliminate the threat!

Let the battle begin! (Tukua Mai Ko Te Riri!)