Tui, Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae, are perhaps one of the most visible and easily identified of New Zealand's native forest species. This bird was 'snapped' taking nectar from flax flowers, during a visit to Tiritiri Matangi Island, in the Hauraki Gulf.

This photo was taken by Brent Stephenson (www.eco-vista.com), and is copyrighted 2007.

eBird www.eBird.com/nz

Ever wondered what to do with your bird observations? Do you want to know how many species of bird you have seen in New Zealand but are too lazy or shy to make a list? The OSNZ’s “Atlas of Bird Distribution in New Zealand 1999-2004” was a great achievement but we mustn't stop now. What is happening to birds in New Zealand today? Is the intensification in agriculture and the "dairy boom" affecting even NZ's common birds? Did you know red-billed gulls are declining all over New Zealand - is this serious or a minor readjustment?

Through collaboration with Cornell University and the Audubon Society of America, the Ornithological Society of New Zealand is proud to present this state of the art system for the recording of all your bird observations.

This program allows anyone who wishes to (not just OSNZ members), to enter bird observations from New Zealand (and incidentally anywhere else in the western hemisphere). This data is then compiled into your very own monthly, yearly, regional and life lists for the user AND it contributes data that can be used by scientists to assess the status of New Zealand's birds. It enables all who visit the site to view maps of bird distribution in New Zealand and updates users on rare bird sightings and lists for over 100 "hotspots" around the country. We hope that as many users as possible will take advantage of this program to add an extra dimension to their bird-watching and help science and conservation. If you visit a spot regularly, are working in the back blocks or even if you just record birds on the way to work or in your backyard you should add these observations to eBird. There are so many things we don't know about New Zealand’s birds that eBird may help us resolve.

We hope eBird will help us answer many questions that Scientists and bird-watchers in New Zealand have asked:

For example

• · When do the first cuckoos arrive each year - do they first arrive in the north and filter down the country or do they get to most places simultaneously?
• · Are cuckoos declining?
• · Where do the introduced finches go in the winter?
• · Which introduced birds migrate in NZ?
• · Which native bush birds migrate in NZ?

All these questions require lots of observers making regular records. Even if you don't do regular counts already why don't you start? You can do it whilst walking the dog, driving to work, driving to the beach house, going for a relaxing bush walk - when ever. You can make a difference - take a look at www.ebird.com/nz

In a recent article in Southern Bird the authors encouraged members to send birds hit by cars to Massey University. This is not the position of OSNZ. OSNZ wishes to point out that Section 55 of the Wildlife Act allows only recognized public museums to hold New Zealand wildlife, in trust for the people of New Zealand. OSNZ recommends that members take specimens of native New Zealand birds that they find dead to one of the four major public museums: Auckland Institute and Museum; Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand; Canterbury Museum; and the Otago Museum, only.

We apologise for the delay in recent Notornis issues and any inconvenience that this may have caused you.

You will start receiving the late issues in due course. The June 2007 Notornis has been completed and should be printed before the AGM at the end of May. The rest will follow at four to six weekly intervals until the backlog has been cleared, so publishing should be back on schedule within the next few months.

Please note - completed papers will from now on be uploaded on the Notornis web site at the end of each month, in advance of the paper publication. Our new system will ensure greater efficiency in future publications!

Richard Holdaway (President)
Jim Briskie (new Editor Notornis)

International Ornithological Congress 2010
To be held in Brazil - check out their website for more details.

The OSNZ Scientific Committee and Council have prepared a document covering the potential effects of wind turbines on birds, for the benefit of those undertaking an Assessment of Environmental Effects for wind farms in New Zealand, and for those reviewing any such assessment. Please click here to see the document in full.