The Upper Clutha is home to a couple of night time avian predators – the native Morepork or Ruru and the Little Owl.
The Morepork can be heard (and sometimes seen) in bush areas within the built up areas of Wanaka.
Little Owls can be seen around dusk and dawn on the edge of bush areas or farm buildings.
While both the Morepork and Little Owl are not threatened in our district they can benefit from support. Recently the MenShed team have been using recycled materials to complete “box’s” to provide safe nesting for the birds.
The “box’s” will encourage birds in locations where populations of mice threaten other species. The accommodation is thus part of a natural pest control approach.
Moreporks and Little Owls are not tidy – their nests become deposits of bird poo, rotting meat, feathers and fur. Not the greatest! As a result the nesting box’s have a flap which allows for easy cleaning at the end of the season.