In THe Media
The plight of the South Island kōkako is regularly reported in the media.
Although sometimes known as the ‘grey ghost’, the search continues for the South Island kōkako, believed to be the rarest bird in the world; we’re not ready to consign it to the realms of ghosts!
Selected Articles
Robot kōkako seeks friendship, more (development of animatronic model) (New Zealand Geographic, Nov/Dec 2024)
Elusive bird may have been spotted in Southland (Otago Daily Times, January 2024)
Kōkako sightings sought in the South Island (RNZ National, January 2024)
Possibly heard, and maybe seen, the search for the South Island kōkako continues (Re:wild, August 2023)
Rhys Buckingham and the bird that doesn’t want to be found (RNZ National, August 2023)
Looking for New Zealand’s most elusive bird (Frank Film, August 2023)
Chasing the Grey Ghost (North & South, January 2023)
DNA analysis uncovers mystery of wattle bird evolution-uncovers-mystery-wattle-bird-evolution (ODT, August 2022)
A song and a shadow (ODT, February 2022)
‘Most Wanted’ list leads to rediscovered species. Conservation Group sets its sights on finding 8 more. (The Washington Post, Kids Post, February 2022)
Top 25 most wanted lost species (Re:wild, February 2022)
Bird song could prove the South Island kōkako exists (RNZ National, January 2022)
Two faint bird calls in Kahurangi National Park may have revealed … (TV3 News, January 2022)
Bird call raises hopes of finding the elusive kōkako (Stuff news, January 2022)
Last seen in … birdwatchers asked to join hunt for world’s 10 rarest birds (The Guardian, 17 December 2021)
Heaphy is a hot spot for South Island kōkako sightings (Wilderness Magazine, September 2021)
The hunt for the secretive haunting call of the kōkako (Stuff news, 28 August 2021)
UK TalkRADIO Paul Ross interview with Trust Manager, Inger Perkins (5 April 2021 - mp3 file)
'Wanted, preferably alive': the $10,000 search for New Zealand's 'ghost' bird (The Guardian, 26 March 2021)
Global Wildlife Conservation story: “Wanted, bird with an orange wattle …” (GWC, 10 October 2020)
Tenth anniversary update “Trust renews $10,000 reward …” (Stuff news, 22 May 2020)
South Island kōkako remains elusive despite 200 reports of encounters (Radio NZ, National, February 2020)
Artificial intelligence helps to identify South Island kōkako calls (Stuff news, 29 October 2019)
Native Affairs story about the search + recent encounter (Maori TV, 1 October 2018, from 16’13”)
Over 100 'sightings' of extinct South Island kōkako (NZ Herald, June 2018)
Listen - is this the call of the grey ghost? (NZ Geographic, May 2017)
New encounters with the South Island kōkako (Radio NZ, National, April 2017)
Desperately seeking: the South Island kōkako (Radio NZ, National, January 2017)
Stuff news article with reward (Stuff, January 2017)
Newshub feature as $5000 reward is launched (Newshub, January 2017)
In search of the grey ghost (New Zealand Geographic, Issue 140, 2016)
Kōkako chasers head to the hills (Nelson Mail, 2015)
Mixed reaction to kōkako sighting (Nelson Mail, 2014)
On the grey ghost’s trail (The Dominion Post, 2014)
The plight of the South island kōkako – extinction by armchair? (Mike Lee blog – Waitemata and Gulf Ward Councillor, 2014)
‘Extinct’ South Island kōkako could still be alive (NZ Herald, 2013)
South Island kōkako may still be alive (Radio NZ, National, 2013)
South Island kōkako rediscovered (?) (RadioLive, 2013)
The elusive grey ghost (The Listener, 1987)
Historic Reports
New Zealand Has Two Crows (Forest & Bird, Issue 40, 1936)
Our vanishing birds (The Evening Post, 1930)
The New Zealand crow (The Evening Post, 1926)
Nature Notes (NZ Herald, 1921)
NEWSLETTERS
Scroll down to sign up for occasional newsletters below.
Please note, the newsletters up to and including May 2022 will include links to our interactive map but the link has since been changed. The interactive encounter map is now available here.
November 2024 - more encounters, robot kōkako, t shirt winner, lost species month, k anomaly …
July 2024 - latest best encounter reports, latest news from projects with scientists, sounds, song and much more
February 2024 - probable report from Rowallan Forest, Southland, media coverage plus other encounter updates
December 2023 - focus back on the Heaphy, SI kōkako seen on the Old Ghost Road, 2 lost species found …
August 2023 - special news of new short film “Looking for New Zealand’s most elusive bird”
June 2023 - search intensifies in Abel Tasman NP, new science and old wisdom helps the search, latest reports …
November 23 2022 - we share news of the death of Trust Chair, Nigel Babbage and the vacuum in our hearts
November 2022 - we mourn the loss of conservation champion Ron Nilsson, and have updates …
May 2022 - a focus on feathers - DNA analysis, afterfeather and how you can help, global interest and latest reports
February 2022 - South Island kōkako joins the top 25 most wanted lost species list, exciting new reports, lost of news!
December 18, 2021 - Special: South Island kōkako makes the world’s list of top ten lost birds
December 2021 - survey to help us, science update, recent and historic encounter reports …
September 2021 - Heaphy track recordings, eDNA update, latest reports,
Easter 2021 - International Guardian feature, renewed interest Kahurangi NP, caught on camera
December 2020 - latest reports, using eDNA and other technology to help the search, GWC article
September 2020 - 20 years of searching and hope remains, NI kōkako doing well, search for lost species
May 2020 - Launch of Friends of the Trust
October 2019 - Bird of the Year poll, encounter and artificial intelligence updates
August 2019 - Artificial intelligence, Heaphy update, kōkako nest …
February 2019 - New encounter map, Tasman hot spot, SI kōkako history …
Complete the form below to receive occasional newsletters and updates about the search: