Titipounamu nest boxes

This year, we are hoping that Titipounamu (Acanthisitta chloris), a small native bird from New Zealand, will use newly constructed nest boxes at our field site in Boundary Stream Mainland Island. Assembling those pretty nest boxes for Titipounamu was an entertaining activity. The nest boxes are now ready for the field!

Titipounamu are tree cavity breeders that naturally nest in small cavities. Their nests are dome-shaped and are built with various vegetal matter like thin twigs, leaf skeletons, fern tree trunk material, and fluffy white feathers. Before entering their nests, Titipounamu hop from branch to branch and scan their surroundings to ensure no predators observe them. We hope that the Titipounamu will like our nest boxes and settle in them during this breeding season.