Our ruru nohinohi chicks have now all been released from the hospital after acquiring 9 of them for raising at the tail end of last year. The parliament of little owls were a favourite among the volunteers and as always, it was a privilege to get them fledged and out in the wild where they belong.
We go through a lot of food raising multiple chicks to adulthood, and generate a lot of washing. You can help support our work by heading to wildlifehospital.co.nz/help-us/
#littleowl #rurunohinohi #wildlifehospital #birdsofaotearoa #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

Thanks Pōhatu Penguins/plunge for releasing one of our patients in your 'backyard'.We recently had a very special visitor released here at Pōhatu - a tawaki, also known as the Fiordland crested penguin. 🐧

Tawaki are occasionally found around Banks Peninsula when they come ashore to moult. This one was discovered underweight, which is dangerous as penguins can’t safely go through the weeks-long moulting period without enough weight.

Thanks to the care and expertise of the South Island Wildlife Hospital, he was nursed back to health. Once nice and fat, we were able to release him here in a safe, quiet place.

A great outcome and a wonderful reminder of how important rescue, care, and collaboration are for our native wildlife. 🌿 ... See MoreSee Less

A bird that you may have heard but never seen...
Although our core work is focused towards native and endemic species, we do sometimes take care of introduced species. This juvenile skylark ended up in the care of head vet Pauline and was assisted through fledging and the transition to independence.
Kairaka have a distinctive song which they sing from meadows, farmland and tussock regions. As a small bird, they can easily hide among low vegetation, making them difficult to spot in the wild.
#Skylark #kairaka #nzbirds #wildliferehab #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

We've had a few shags come through our doors recently, including this spotted shag. 12 of the 36 shag species reside, or have been identified in, New Zealand territories. Of these, kawau tikitiki are by far the most common to need our assistance.
Often, these birds present quite underweight. Due to reduced prey in inshore waters resulting from fisheries activities, cyclic ocean changes due to El Niño and La Niña phenomenon, offshore storm systems, and climate change, many seabird species are struggling to get adequate nutrition to raise and mature their young. The result is either failed breeding, or juveniles fledging underweight. These juveniles then have reduced resilience to find adequate food to survive.
Starved birds on the beach are then easy prey for curious dogs on the loose, as they become too weak to fly or waddle away. While we may be able to save a bird from starvation, dog injuries can often be catastrophic.
Heeding no-dog signage at the coast, keeping dogs on a lead, and keeping an eye out for birds at the waterline or by the dunes all help prevent injury on top of illness. If you do find a sick-looking seabird, call DOC or your nearest wildlife centre. Be aware that many seabirds have sharp/pointy beaks that can inflict a nasty bite, so don't handle birds without seeking advi#spottedshagp#kawautikitikia#wildliferehabd#nzbirdsb#southislandwildlifehospitalfehospital ... See MoreSee Less

Wishing all our followers a peaceful, kind, and happy 2026. It is thanks to the kindness and generosity of our supporters that we can keep functioning.
We've already received our first patients of the year and continue to care for many that were admitted over the last month. Baby bird season continues and our creche recently included a couple of karoro/black-backed gulls that were very talkative, leaving our vets and volunteers feeling like they were at the seas#karoroa#blackbackedgulld#nzbirdsb#birdsofaotearoae#southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

Canterbury has their very own subspecies of penguin, the white-flippered penguin. They can be identified by the white edge on the front and back edges of their flipper compared to the more common little blue penguins. While not that common locally, kororā are periodically spotted in the coastal areas of Christchurch, and one was even recently spotted swimming up river towards the city.
This individual was transferred to us from the After Hours Vet Clinic after it was handed in there during the night, having been found near New Brighton. The bird was severely underweight on arrival and was at the end of their transition from fluff to feathers. Reductions in food supply, nest abandonment and parent loss can result in juveniles either dying before leaving the nest, or maturing at a suboptimal weight, leaving them vulnerable to predators and with poor resilience for sourcing food when they are left to fend for themselves.
This photo was taken at the mohawk phase of fluff loss, and after some weight gain. Since then, the penguin has regained enough weight, and has lost the last of the fluff, which gives the green light for pool time ahead of release.
If you spot seabirds along the beach that look quiet, sick, injured or don't fly/waddle off on approach, call DOC in the first instance. Keep dogs and people at a distance, and do not handle the bird without adv#penguinn#kororāo#littlebluepenguinn#wildliferehabr#southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

Our parliament of little owls are big enough to be out in an aviary where they can start to get some flight practice in ahead of release. All 8 ruru nohinohi are looking a lot more grown up now with their plumage through and their fuzz fading away. Despite being reared, they have retained their wild spirit which is great for their future prospects, but does mean they have a lot of attitude when the team are weighing them.
#rurunohinohi #littleowl #wildliferehab #wildlifehealth #wildliferehabilitation ... See MoreSee Less

We are currently raising this pāpango at the hospital. Ducklings thrive better when they are with kin but in situations where a duckling is found alone, or is the sole survivor, this is not always possible. Although New Zealand scaup can be found around Christchurch, they're not a common species at the hospital.
Using mirrors with lone ducklings can help with stress control. It mimics the presence of kin, as ducklings view their reflection as another individual. It can help encourage some normal behaviours such as preening, which birds can neglect to do when they're stressed. It also acts as a focal point of interest for them to investigate and interact with.
Pāpango are excellent divers and this one is already honing their skills during pool time. The young scaup has just passed 200 grams in weight, a third of the adult weight, so still has some growi#scaupd#newzealandscaupa#pāpangop#duckling #wildliferehabd#wildlifehealthl#wildliferehabilitationb#wildlifehospitalf#wildlife #nzbirdse#birdsofaotearoao#siwha#southislandwildlifehospitalfehospital ... See MoreSee Less