Meet the Kaki

The Kaki, or black stilt, is one of the rarest wading birds on Earth, and it's found nowhere else but New Zealand's braided rivers, mostly in the Mackenzie Basin.

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In 1981, the wild population dropped to just 23 adult birds. Decades of intensive work through the Department of Conservation's Kaki Recovery Programme (captive breeding, egg collection, predator control) have slowly pulled them back from the brink, but they still remain critically endangered, with fewer than 200 adults in the wild today. Introduced predators (stoats, ferrets, rats, cats) and flooding in the riverbed habitat are still the biggest threat.

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About the Painting

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Having spent seven years living in the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park region, it felt only right to capture one of these wee birds on canvas to raise awareness and champion them for Bird of the Year (click the link to go vote)! The competition also coincided with a recent release of 134 sub-adult Kaki into the wild across the Mackenzie Basin through August. 

 

Inspiration for the painting is thanks to the incredible photography of Tori Harp, who captured photos of the release. Be sure to check her out!

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The Cause

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30% of the sale price from this auction will be donated to Forest & Bird, one of New Zealand's longest-running conservation organisations, working to protect native species and habitats - including our braided river birds!