The matuku-hūrepo/Australasian bittern is a very rare bird in Taranaki and an icon of the region’s wetland habitats.

There are less than 1,000 left in New Zealand and maybe just around 30 in Taranaki so they’re counting on us for their survival.

This is where you can help. If you spot a matuku-hūrepo then we want to hear from you. Click on the map and drop a pin where you saw one, noting the date and time.

Matuku-hūrepo are listed as Threatened – Nationally Critical, that’s one step away from extinction. Records of these birds can help us better understand where they are and how they are doing in Taranaki.

We'll also share this sighting data with lovebittern.com to help national conservation efforts to protect these special wetland birds.