Conservation & Research
What we do / Conservation & Research
Conservation is at the heart of everything we do.
In 1992 Wingspan was set up to fund the rehabilitation of a small number of injured harriers. Today it has grown to become recognised, nationally and internationally as the pre-eminent raptor conservation organisation in New Zealand.
Wingspan continues its rehabilitation work but its breeding and release programme is now its main conservation focus. By establishing breeding pairs from injured falcons we are able to breed this threatened species and supplement populations around the country.
Research and monitoring are essential for the success of any conservation programme allowing activities to be adapted and limited resources to be focussed into the most productive activities. Wingspan promotes and facilitates research on birds of prey by supporting and advising student research into key areas of conservation need. Follow the links below for New Zealand birds of prey research references.
Learn about our research programme: To support and conserve our birds of prey we need to understand them. Read more about our research programme and download key reference material below.Learn about our captive breeding programme: We breed birds of prey to support wild populations... learn more →
Learn about our raptor rehab programme: Sadly lots of falcons get shot in New Zealand every year. Find out what Wingspan does to help the injured birds that are handed into us… learn more →
Wingspan Raptor Award: Conservation is about people. Every year Wingspan acknowledges the contributions that some truly amazing people have made to birds of prey with our Raptor Award... learn more →
Report a Falcon Sighting: We need your help. Our knowledge of where falcons are breeding is surprisingly limited... learn more →
Research is vital to the success of any conservation programme.
To support and conserve our birds of prey we need to understand them. We need to know what factors are limiting them and what action is likely to most effectively remedy these limitations. As such research is vital to the success of any conservation programme.
Wingspan works in collaboration with a variety of organisations and individuals around the country to encourage and support research on New Zealand birds of prey. If you want to delve a little deeper and learn more about these fascinating birds, follow the links below to find a summary of the key research that has been done by Wingspan and others. Where available this includes links to the articles themselves.Conservation Action programme.
Over recent decades our understanding of New Zealand’s birds of prey, the threats they face and how to support them has improved considerably. Wingspan has been at the heart of these advances for almost 30 years, driving and facilitating key research areas and leading the way in the development and improvement of conservation management techniques. With this ever-increasing knowledge base, Wingspan is now in a position to develop and begin implementing the strategic conservation actions that, once fully fledged, will enable the trust to work on the landscape scales required to achieve its goal of restoring birds of prey into our daily lives and securing their long-term future.
Wingspan Conservation Action Programme PDF →Falcon Electrocution Fact Sheet PDF →
Research References
PDF Research References:
Published Scientific Papers
New Zealand falcon, Karearea
Morepork, Ruru
Swamp harrier, Kahu
Barn owl
Hack Releasing NZ Falcons: A best practicemanagement guide