YC02

20.12
Brīvie albatrosi sarodas uz 2026.gada pirmo ballīti.

20.15
KA88










































Sharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC)
Featured by Department of Conservation
Kia ora koutou (hello everyone)
Royalcam News
WYL and BOK at Plateau nest.
The fertile egg was laid on the 6th of November so is now 60 days old. Eggs are incubated for an average of 79 days before hatching so this egg is now over halfway through the incubation period. Give or take a few days, the chick is due to hatch near the end of January 2026. WYL has been on the nest for 11 days and has had his GPS fitted. GPS updates for WYL will be provided after the next changeover at the nest.
BOK has been foraging of the east coast of New Zealand for the last 11 days and has travelled over 2000km so far. SP = start point and EP = end point. The numbers refer to the number of times the satellite as received a signal from that location.
2025/26 season update
Many adolescents have arrived, and gams have been seen on the headland and the surrounding ocean on windy days.
Feeding trips are interspersed with time on the headland. It generally takes 2 inexperienced birds 3 seasons to find a mate before they start breeding.
Non-breeders will sometimes interact with breeders even with no familial relationship. It is practice in bonding for the non-breeders and an opportunity for the breeders to have the head lice scratched while their mate is away.
Background on data collection
All toroa at Pukekura have been banded with a uniquely numbered Stainless-Steel band since 1936 although the bands have changed over time. A colour combination for an alphanumeric band on the opposite leg means quicker identification. Yellow bands are females, and the males have black bands. Banding ensures that we will be able to recognise everyone in years to come and be able to collect lifespan and breeding success data.
Geo Positioning System (GPS) tags are attached to back feathers and will moult off. They send the data via satellite so it can be viewed without retrieving the tag.
Past Royalcam family’s news
Read more about the Royalcam families here: Meet the Royal family: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-a ... al-family/
The parents (LGK and LGL) of Karere, Tiaki and Kiwa are now on a fertile egg at Top Flat. YWK and KGY, Moana’s parents also have a fertile egg this season and Tūmanako’s dad BK and his new RLW also have a fertile egg.
GO and WO, the foster parent’s of 2018 chick Amīria are nesting but sadly their egg was found broken. They are on a dummy egg to hold them as potential foster parents.
Past Royalcam chicks that have returned to Pukekura are Moana, Tūmanako and Amīria.
Tūmanako, who fledged in 2017, returned at the end of 2021 and has been ‘keeping company’ with a 7-year-old female (i.e. serious about breeding).







