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Kōrero: Small forest birds

Old Blue

Image
Old Blue

In 1979 the black robin of the Chatham Islands was on the brink of extinction, with only five birds left. When the Wildlife Service intervened to rescue them in 1980, there was only one female who could lay fertile eggs. She became known as Old Blue. Today there are about 250 living black robins – all of them her descendants.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10032084

by Don Merton

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Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Christina Troup, Small forest birds – Robins and tomtits, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/12485/old-blue (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Christina Troup, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009, updated 1 August 2023.