For two summers, south Titirangi locals were left scratching their heads over an unsettling sight: an alarming number of dead tūī beneath the same majestic pōhutukawa tree. As the tree burst into its iconic crimson bloom, attracting a chorus of nectar-feeding birds, it also seemed to be the site of an ‘“avian whodunit’”.

David Blake, a community resident and conservation enthusiast, was the first to sound the alarm.

“When I found the first ones, I thought it might be poison. It was heartbreaking,” he shared.

But poison was ruled out when he called in the experts at Auckland Council, and the investigation eliminated every imaginable culprit—from bird flu to BB guns.

The real breakthrough came thanks to Auckland Council’s senior ecologist Sarah Gibbs, and her colleagues.

“It was a bit like CSI: tūī,” Ms Gibbs said cheekily.

“In all seriousness, tūī are a beloved native bird, and we don’t like to see them turning up dead without explanation.

“We tested everything and got nowhere until a Massey University vet, Dr Alvaro Wehrle-Martinez, carried out a postmortem on the tui and confirmed the cause - electrocution.

Mystery solved: it turns out power lines running through the iconic pōhutukawa tree in south Titirangi were the problem.”

Ironically, the tree feeding the tūī a summer feast was also serving as an accidental hazard.

Tūī, in their nectar rich excitement, were brushing against the power lines, turning a festive feast into a deadly misstep.

The breakthrough prompted swift action. Arborists trimmed the pōhutukawa back from the wires to protect both the tree and its feathered diners.

“It’s not ideal to trim such a magnificent tree,” acknowledged Gibbs, “but this way, the tūī can safely enjoy their summer smorgasbord.”

The case closed with a sigh of relief and some new learnings, while preserving the treasured Titirangi pōhutukawa, an essential food source for nectar-eating birds – as part of the local ecosystem.

David Blake reflects on the saga with mixed emotions.

“I’m glad we solved it but will miss seeing so many tūī in one place, now the tree has had a haircut. Still, better a few less blooms than a few less tūī.”

And so, south Titirangi’s summer soundtrack continues, a little less ‘shocking’, but just as sweet.

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