The kōkako population on the island has been closely monitored since the first birds were brought here in 1997. Ten years later, the island received the captive-bred descendants of the last wild birds living in Taranaki. It was hoped that they would survive and breed on Tiritiri and eventually their descendants would be returned to their ancestral home. The birds were banded so that it would be possible to record their family trees and keep track of their relationships. That hope was fulfilled in 2017 and 2018 when birds were returned to Parininihi and Pirongia.

We have built on that initial work, continuing to band and to record details of the individual birds and their lives on the island resulting in a unique long-term data set which we hope will be used to better understand and to protect and sustain them.

Trained banders give each bird a unique combination of one numbered metal band and up to three plastic colour bands allowing observers to recognise each individual. Most of the birds are banded as chicks before they leave their nest.