Tracking the Ī’oi: Progress and an Update from the Field

Since the last update, the Ī’oi Project, led by Te Ipukarea Society, has begun the next phase with the start of radio tracking. To recap, the team successfully captured and tagged six ī’oi over three weeks in early September—an exciting achievement, considering how smart and cautious these birds are!

Radio tracking began immediately after the last bird was tagged, and we are now entering the eighth week of monitoring these fascinating birds. The primary objective of this tracking is to collect data that will help estimate their home ranges, movement patterns, and habitat use. Tracking will continue until the end of December to gather data throughout their presumed breeding season. Radio tracking is also useful for locating hard-to-find nests. Once nests are found, they can be observed, and the data collected will provide insights into breeding behaviors and overall life history.

The radio tracking team consists of ten dedicated volunteers, most of whom have recently learned how to monitor birds. The tracking occurs three to four days each week, with three team members working together each day. Each volunteer hikes to a vantage point along the ridgelines in the Takitumu Conservation Area. A vantage point is needed to ensure there’s good signal reception to track birds that may be deep in the surrounding valleys. Using handheld radios to coordinate their efforts, the team locates each bird together by finding the direction with the strongest signal. The team was relieved and  pleased to see that all tracking equipment functions well in the challenging terrain of Rarotonga, where steep slopes and deep valleys can obstruct signals.

So far, data indicates that the ī’oi primarily stay within their home valleys. While some large movements have been recorded, most birds remain in similar areas day to day. The ī’oi seem most active in the morning or late afternoon, with a noticeable drop in activity around midday. Genetic analysis of the feather samples has revealed that three of the tagged ī’oi are female, two are male, and one remains unknown. Interestingly, one male and one female are frequently found together, suggesting that we may have inadvertently caught a mating pair! The team plans to track them down soon to confirm this—stay tuned!

Local volunteers including project lead Rachel Selwyn, a wildlife ecologist by trade have all played a vital role in this phase of the project, collaborating closely with Te Ipukarea Society to ensure quality data collection. Their enthusiasm and commitment are crucial for gathering the information needed to inform conservation strategies for the endemic species.

The project has also received generous funding from Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) for the radio tracking equipment, which has been invaluable in facilitating ongoing research. The analysis of feather samples, funded by Kumiti Au Vaine, has further enriched the data set by allowing researchers to determine the sex of each captured ī’oi.

The commitment to the Ī’oi project exemplifies a collaborative effort toward avian conservation in the Takitumu Conservation Area. With continued dedication and research, the team looks forward to uncovering insights that will help ensure the future of the ī’oi in their natural habitat.