Fishing for information: a review of fish species observed with tara iti (Sternula nereis davisae) and in the adjacent waterways

Tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern, Sternula nereis davisae) are one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most endangered birds, with decades of conservation effort focused on population monitoring, predator control, and habitat protection. This study examined fish species available to and consumed by tara iti through seine-net surveys (2021–2024) at Waipū and Mangawhai estuaries, supported by direct feeding observations and photography of feeding events. Forty-three fish species were identified across the t