<I>Gallirallus australis</I>

The impact of aerially applied 1080 poison on a Western weka (Gallirallus australis australis) population was assessed at Tennyson Inlet, Marlborough Sounds, between September 2010 and June 2016. We estimated mortality and the incidence of sublethal poisoning as a direct consequence of two aerial 1080 operations and examined the differences in nest success, chick survivorship and adult survivorship. Most weka in the treated block appear to have been sublethally poisoned but only one of 58 (1.8%) radio-tagged weka died as a direct consequence of 1080 application.

The hypothesis that predation on eggs and chicks by ferrets (Mustela furo) and cats (Felis catus) was limiting the productivity of North Island weka (Gallirallus australis greyi), was tested by removing predators from the home ranges of four breeding pairs of weka. Reproduction by four other breeding pairs was monitored to provide a control. I was not able to follow the breeding success of some weka because they died or removed their radio transmitters.