| Waitangiroto Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|
 Kōtuku at Waitangiroto Nature Reserve | |
.png)  Location of Waitangiroto Nature Reserve | |
| Nearest town | Whataroa |
| Coordinates | 43°08′51″S 170°17′06″E / 43.1475°S 170.2850°E |
| Area | 1,534 ha (5.92 sq mi) |
| Designation | Nature reserve |
| Designated | 1976 |
| Named for | Waitangiroto River |
| Administrator | Department of Conservation |
The Waitangiroto Nature Reserve is a protected area of 1,534 ha (3,790 acres) near Whataroa, in the West Coast of New Zealand.[2] The reserve consists of lowland kahikatea swamp forest either side of the Waitangiroto River. It is notable as the site of the only breeding colony of kōtuku or white heron (Ardea alba modesta) in New Zealand, comprising 100–120 birds. Royal spoonbills and little shags also breed alongside the kōtuku. The breeding colony is a visitor attraction during the breeding season, but access to the entire nature reserve is by permit only. Visitors can view the birds from a hide across the Waitangiroto River. Tours of the reserve operate from a base in Whataroa.
Although the kōtuku nesting colony is commonly known as the "Ōkārito colony", Ōkārito is some distance to the south, over a glacial moraine in a different drainage basin. White herons can be commonly seen feeding in Ōkārito Lagoon, a possible cause of the confusion.[3][4]
- ^ "Waitangiroto". Protected Planet. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Protected Areas". Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Allan, Peter (19 March 1988). "Okarito Lagoon". The Press. p. 18. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ Wood, G.C. (11 March 1988). "Heron colony". The Press. p. 20. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.