The Ecology and Conservation Group
Kevin Parker
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Postgraduate StudentPhD StudentEmail: Building 5, Gate 4, Oteha Rohe, Albany Campus, Massey University. Tel: +64 9 414 0800 ext 41197 Fax: +64 9 443 9790 Supervisors: Assoc Prof Dianne Brunton, Assoc Prof Doug Armstrong, Dr Isabel Castro & Dr Howard Ross(University of Auckland) |
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"Any good poet, in our age at least, must begin with the scientific view of the world; and any scientist worth listening to must be something of a poet, must possess the ability to communicate to the rest of us his sense of love and wonder at what his work discovers" - Edward Abby |
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RESEARCH INTERESTSMy primary research interest is in the conservation of birds particularly through the use of translocation and habitat restoration. My involvement has been both applied, through work as a park ranger, zoo keeper and contract conservation scientist, and theoretical through my PhD research examining the impacts of translocation on the evolution of song. I have been involved in 16 translocations since 1999, and take great satisfaction in returning birds to former habitats, and exploring the research opportunities a translocation provides. In addition to my PhD research I am involved in the following collaborations; an examination of corticosterone response in translocated populations of North Island saddleback and the stress related impacts of captivity on blackbirds (Turdus merula) with Nigel Adams (Unitec, New Zealand) and John Cockrem (Massey University, New Zealand); an investigation into the genetic diversity of natural and translocated populations of whiteheads (Mohoua albicilla) and a comparison of North Island and South Island saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus) song with Ian Jamieson and Karen Ludwig (University of Otago, New Zealand). I also co-organised, along with John Ewen (Institute of Zoology, London), Doug Armstrong (Massey University) and Philip Seddon (University of Otago), a May 2008 meeting entitled "Avian reintroduction biology: current issues for science and management" at the Institute of Zoology in London, and am a co-editor on a book based on this meeting. |
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 "There's a delicious freedom in being called upon to be attentive" - Jim Harrison |
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RESEARCHMemetic movement. The impacts of translocation on the cultural evolution of the North Island saddleback (Philesturnus rufusater)
The process of song acquisition in saddleback has been identified; male saddleback disperse from their natal territories, establish a territory and learn the songs of their new contiguous neighbours. We are examining the cultural diversity and evolution of saddleback song as a result of translocation. To achieve this we are using the meme concept and spectral analysis to examine patterns of cultural mutation, drift and the emergence of new song patterns across the 12 island populations. We are also using distance survey techniques to generate an accurate population estimate across all saddleback populations, and conducting a multivariate analysis to elucidate the existing variances in population density. |
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FUNDING BODIES
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PUBLICATIONS/ REPORTSScientific papersParker KA & Laurence J 2008 Translocation of North Island saddleback Philesturnus rufusater from Tiritiri Matangi Island to Motuihe Island, New Zealand. Conservation Evidence 5: 47-50. Ewen JG, Armstrong D, Parker K, & Seddon P 2008. Avian reintroduction biology: Current issues for science and management. Avian Biology 1: 19-42. Parker KA 2008. Translocations: Providing outcomes for wildlife, resource managers, scientists and the human community. Restoration Ecology 16: 204-209. Rayner MJ, Parker KA & Imber MJ 2008. Population census of Cook's petrel Pterodroma cookii breeding on Codfish Island (New Zealand) and the global conservation status of the species. Bird Conservation International 18: 211-218. Parker KA 2007. Opportunistic scavenging or active predation of a blackbird (Turdus merula) by an Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)? Notornis 54: 42. Parker KA, Brunton DH & Jakob-Hoff R 2006. Avian translocations and wildlife disease; implications for New Zealand conservation. Pacific Conservation Biology 12(2): 155-162 Parker KA, Hughes B, Thorogood R, Griffiths R 2004. Homing over 56 km by a North Island tomtit (Petroica macrocephala toitoti). Notornis 51: 238-239. Parker KA & Brunton DH 2004. Predation of banded rail (Rallus phillippensis) nests in a saltmarsh habitat. Notornis 51: 240-241. Parker KA 2004. An aggressive interaction between a North island fernbird (Bowdleria punctata vealeae) and a spotless crake (Porzana tabuensis). Notornis 51: 241. Parker K 2001. New Zealand Dotterel catches fish. Notornis 48: 164. Unpublished reports/ thesisParker KA 2008. Avian translocation options for the Rotokare Scenic Reserve. Internal Report to the Rotokare Scenic Reserve, Taranaki, New Zealand. Parker KA 2007. Report on a wetland bird survey, Awhitu Regional Park, June 2007. Internal report to Southern Parks, Auckland Regional Council. Lovegrove T, Parker K, Nieuwland A 2007. Disease surveillance of North Island robins on Tiritiri Matangi Island and at Wenderholm, Waiwera and Puhoi, 2006-2007. Internal report from the Auckland Regional Council to the Department of Conservation. Parker KA 2006. A report on post release monitoring of a translocated population of saddleback or tieke (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater) on Motuihe Island August 2005 - August 2006. Internal report to the Motuihe Restoration Project, Auckland, New Zealand. Parker K, & Thorogood R 2004. Interim report on the presence and distribution of fernbird (Bowdleria punctata vealeae) within the motorway designation, RAP21, Orewa. Internal report for the Northern Gateway Alliance. Parker K 2004. Report on a North Island fernbird (Bowdleria punctata vealeae) survey, Tawharanui Regional Park, July 2004. Internal report to the Heritage Department, Auckland Regional Council. Parker K 2003. Report on a wetland bird survey, Awhitu Regional Park, January 2003. Internal report for the Heritage Department, Auckland Regional Council. Parker K 2003. Report on a whitehead or popokatea (Mohoua albicilla) survey on Tiritiri Matangi Island, January 2003. Internal report to the Heritage Department, Auckland Regional Council. Parker KA, Ralph CJ, Miller SL & Herrera P 2003. A preliminary investigation into avian monitoring data collected as part of the Trinity River Restoration Program, 1990 and 2002. Internal report for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, California 95521, USA. Parker K 2002. A short investigation into causes of winter mortality amongst a translocated population of hihi (Notiomystis cincta) on Tiritiri Matangi. Internal report for the Department of Conservation. Parker KA 2002. Ecology and management of North Island fernbird (Bowdleria punctata vealeae). Unpublished MSc Thesis. The University of Auckland, New Zealand. |Abstract (PDF, 67 KB)| |Thesis (PDF 1.7MB)| |
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CONFERENCES ATTENDED2008 - Annual New Zealand Ecological Society Conference, Auckland, New Zealand. 2008 - Avian reintroduction biology: current issues for science and management, Zoological Society of London, London, U.K. 2007 - Australasian Ornithological Conference, Perth, West Australia. 2006 - Ornithological Society of New Zealand Annual General Meeting and Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. 2006 - North American Ornithological Conference, Veracruz, Mexico. 2006 - Invited speaker, Monday night seminar series, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. 2005 - Australian Ornithological Conference (the Ornithological Society of New Zealand and Birds Australia), Bleinhem, New Zealand. 2005 - Ornithological Society of New Zealand Annual General Meeting and Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand. 2005 - Society for Conservation Biology Meeting, Brasilia, Brazil. 2001 - New Zealand Ecological Society, Christchurch, New Zealand. 2000 - New Zealand Ecological Society, Hamilton, New Zealand. 1998 - Third National Outdoor Education Conference, Auckland, New Zealand. |
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TRANSLOCATION INVOLVED
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AFFILIATION to scientific and conservation organisations
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"A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land"
- Aldo Leopold
As a result of conservation translocations initiated in 1964, the North Island saddleback has increased from a single island population of < 500 birds to one comprising 12 island populations and an estimated 6000 birds.
Most translocations consisted of a single release of 21-40 birds.
Some translocated populations have been used for subsequent translocations resulting in populations that have been through up to three successive bottlenecks prior to establishment.
Saddleback are poorly flighted and with the exception of one population established through natural dispersal, there is no mixing between islands.
The loss of genetic diversity through founder events such as translocations has been well documented but there has been less attention given to the impacts on cultural diversity such as song dialects.
Saddleback provide a unique system for examining the impacts of translocation on cultural diversity.
The original source population acts as a control while the 11 translocated populations can be treated as experimental units consisting of founder events of known origin, age, size and sex class.