Who's involved?
Bringing Tui back into Hamilton is supported by the Department of Conservation, Environment Waikato, Hamilton City Council, Tui 2000, Landcare Research, Weedbusters and many other community groups. Find out how you can get involved or register for Hamilton's community planting programme .
No tui living in Hamilton - but why?
Unlike other cities, such as Auckland and Wellington, Tui do not live in Hamilton, where they were once abundant.
Due to introduced pests (rats and possums) and loss of habitat and food sources, today Tui are rarely seen in the city. In the last hundred years, just one Tui chick has been recorded fledging in Hamilton, and that was last summer at Hamilton Gardens.
Tui feed in Hamilton
Although no Tui live in Hamilton, small numbers visit the city over winter (May to August). Tui visit to feed on the nectar of trees that flower over winter and spring. They commute from up to 20km away, and return to their breeding sites outside the city.
Tui breed outside Hamilton
Tui breed between October and February in native bush areas around Hamilton. Tui return to breed in the area they fledged.
What is being done?
Increasing survival rate of Tui chicks
Tui nesting success is very low. In recent studies, only about a quarter of monitored nests fledged young. This is mainly due to ship rats and possums, which climb trees and invade tui nests, eating the eggs and chicks.
To improve nesting success, Environment Waikato carries out annual pest control (rat and possum) at key breeding sites in the Hamilton Halo area before the tui breeding season. Other native species of birds, plants and invertebrates are also likely to benefit from the pest control.
Improving Tui feeding and breeding conditions in Hamilton
Hamilton City Council is working with land owners plantings at key sites within the city, and Environment Waikato is implementing pest control. This will provide year-round sources of food and safe habitat for tui to breed in, and is part of the plan to attract the birds to the city.
Hamilton City Council staff at Hamilton Gardens and Taitua Arboretum have carried out intensive pest control at these nesting sites over the past few years. | 
