Spare a thought for New Zealand's wildlife this summer is the message from Whangarei Bird Recovery Centre which is already nursing native birds that have fallen victim to the heat.
The centre currently has its first baby morepork of the season under their wing, which manager Robert Webb says wouldn't have made it had it not been for their intervention.
"Because of the heat we've been having, the mother moreporks often kick the two smallest babies out of the nest when they can't keep them cool by flapping their wings," Mr Webb said.
"That’s how vicious nature can be."
Twelve-day-old Fluffy, however, is anything but vicious. Mr Webb says moreporks have quite a personality until they're about six-weeks-old.
"They can rub their face up against yours and clean your hair for you."
But after that they can be brutal. Mr Webb says you need gloves to handle ruru at a certain age, before the centre then returns them to nature, and hopefully their whanau who once abandoned them.
"I’m sure they have family waiting. We've seen it with other birds before."
As the hot summer shows no signs of slowing down, the centre has some advice for Kiwis who can do a few simple things to help our birds this summer.
"Birds have plenty of food, but what they often don't have is fresh water. Putting water dishes out can really help them in the heat," Mr Webb said.
The centre is also currently caring for two baby blue penguins, which will be released near Limestone Island in Whangarei today.
By Wilson Longhurst
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