Hand-rearing of critically endangered tara iti (Sternula nereis davisae) as part of the species’ recovery programme

Tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern, Sternula nereis davisae) is New Zealand’s rarest endemic breeding bird. As part of the Tara Iti Recovery Programme a head-starting programme was trialled between 2020 and 2024. Here we describe techniques developed by Auckland Zoo to successfully hand-rear 25 tara iti chicks from 30 artificially incubated eggs. The methods described here have the potential to be used as a critical part of a broader strategy to increase the wild productivity of this and other ter