​He toki a Tāne 
Nature’s Champion
in partnership with Daltons

Nominations accepted 4 July - 19 September

Who we are


Picton Dawn Chorus is an Incorporated Society, set up by a group of passionate Picton residents with the aim of controlling introduced predators in order to restore our native bird life. Sadly, with the introduction of countless pest mammals, many of our forests have fallen silent. Our efforts focus on the most damaging pests which include rodents (rats and mice), mustelids (weasels, stoats and ferrets) and possums.

​The Society is committed to using humane and environmentally sensitive methods of predator control. With the guidance of our Operational Plan our target area has been split in to four stages:

1) Victoria Domain                           3) The Wedge
2) Urban Picton and Waikawa         4) The surrounding hills of Picton

​Traps have been set out on the Victoria Domain and these are checked and maintained by volunteers on  a weekly roster. In Picton/Waikawa township, one in four residents are now trapping in their own gardens. The traps on The Wedge are checked by our experienced Bush Trapping Team and we are currently working on creating new lines on the surrounding hills of Picton.

If you would like to help us with our efforts click here to find out more.
photo credit: Colin Aitchison

Bringing the birdsong back

When Captain Cook came to the Queen Charlotte Sound in 1770, his botanist, Joseph Banks, described the dawn chorus he heard in his journal. 
"This morn I was awakd by the singing of the birds ashore from whence we are distant not a quarter of a mile, the numbers of them were certainly very great who seemd to strain their throats with emulation perhaps; their voices were certainly the most melodious wild musick I have ever heard, almost imitating small bells...."