Ruru
Morepork
Ninox novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae
Their Story
Ruru (morepork) is Aotearoa’s only surviving native owl. Their haunting “ruru” call can be heard echoing through native and exotic forests across New Zealand. They also produce a range of mews, yelps, and “crees.”
Like most owls, ruru are nocturnal. They rest during the day in shady roosts, though small birds may mob them and force them to move if discovered. Ruru cannot move their large yellow eyes within their sockets, but can rotate their heads up to 270°. Their soft-fringed wing feathers allow them to fly silently while hunting.
Ruru are monogamous and territorial, occupying areas of 3.5 to 7.8 hectares. They nest from late October to November in tree cavities, hollow logs, dense vegetation, or hollows beneath tree roots or rocks. Females incubate one to three eggs for around 30 days, while males bring food. Chicks fledge at 35–40 days but remain dependent for several more weeks.
At the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, ruru appear to be thriving — likely feasting on mice within our pest-free forest.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Populations are currently stable, though still at risk from habitat loss, predation, and secondary poisoning.
Population
Widespread throughout New Zealand in both native and exotic forests. Locally common within the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.
Voice
Distinctive “ruru” call, often heard at night. Also produces mews, yelps, and “crees.”
Food
Feeds on insects, lizards, frogs, mice, and small birds. Usually hunts by “perch and pounce,” but also catches moths and beetles in flight.
Ruru are small, compact owls with large yellow eyes, mottled brown plumage, and a rounded head with no ear tufts. Their distinctive “ruru” call gives them their Māori name, as well as their “morepork” call giving their English name. Males and females look alike, though females are slightly larger. Their large, forward-facing eyes provide exceptional night vision, while their soft, fringed feathers allow silent flight — perfect for ambushing prey.
Primarily nocturnal, ruru rest during the day in dense vegetation or hollow trees. They hunt at night, swooping silently to catch insects, mice, small birds, and bats. If discovered during the day, they are often mobbed by much smaller korimako. Their calls vary from the classic “ruru” to a range of mews, yelps, and sharp “crees,” used for communication between mates and defending territory.
Ruru are monogamous and territorial, occupying areas of around 3.5 to 7.8 hectares. Nesting occurs from late October to November, usually in tree cavities, hollow logs, dense vegetation, or sheltered hollows beneath roots or rocks. Females lay one to three eggs, incubating for about 30 days while the male provides food. Chicks fledge at around 35–40 days.
Ruru are found throughout mainland New Zealand and many offshore islands, inhabiting forests, farmland, and urban parks. They adapt well to mixed habitats so long as there are suitable nesting areas. They thrive in predator-controlled intact old growth native forests where nesting opportunities are available.
Ruru are classified as Not Threatened, as they are present in most remaining indigenous forests, though at a low density. They have however declined severely since human arrival due to the conversion of native forests and the introduction of exotic predators.
Ruru appear to be thriving within the Sanctuary, likely taking advantage of the high mouse densities that resulted from the removal of other exotic predators. Ruru sing alongside kiwi pukupuku and wētā at nightfall, when the forest comes to life with a whole new suite of characters.
🪶 Ruru can rotate their heads up to 270 degrees!
Our other residents
Check out some of the other incredible wildlife that call the Sanctuary home
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Win prizes for your best summer photo at the Sanctuary 📸🏆☀️
This season, we want to see the Sanctuary through your lens — the bright light through the canopy, the textures of the forest floor, and the tiny details that make summer feel alive.
Enter our Summer Photography Competition (part of our Sanctuary Seasons series) and you could win:
🏆 Instant camera (Junior Photography winner)
🌙 Family ticket to a guided night tour
📰 Feature in our newsletter + social media
🖼️ Printed display at the Visitor Centre
📅 Entries close 28 February - Submit your entries via our website: Link in bio
Photo credit: Helen Power - Entry from the spring photography competition
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #SanctuarySeasons #Ngahere #NaturePhotography #NZWildlife #NelsonTasman #VisitNelson #NZHikes #EcoTourismNZ #ConservationStorytelling
Feb 4
Looking for a unique and memorable date night? 🌙🌲
This February, we’re introducing Date Me Darling — private, curated date nights inside the Sanctuary at dusk.
Three styled locations. One couple at a time. You’ll have a styled spot along the main loop track, locally sourced food and drinks, a few games to share, and time to slow down together as the forest shifts into evening.
Beech Glade: for when you want the world to fall away — deeply hidden, totally private, just you and the hush of the forest.
River: crystal clear water, canopy above, flickering lights — the kind of setup you usually only see on Instagram.
Meadow: open sky, long grass, and the forest standing quietly at the edges like it knows not to interrupt.
Bookings are open now (limited spaces in February only so don’t miss out!): Link in bio
#DateMeDarling #NelsonNZ #NelsonTasman #ThingsToDoNelson #DateNightIdeas #NatureLovers #SupportLocalNZ #ConservationNZ #BrookWaimāramaSanctuary
Feb 3
Two cute to be true?
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary and @savethekiwinz teams have been busy over the past few days tracking and recapturing kiwi to remove their transmitters. Thanks to a huge team effort, all ten males were recaptured within just three days.
Some nest burrows held a surprise or two — in several cases a female was present, and a couple even contained chicks. One burrow amazed us all, with not one but two adorable chicks 😍
All chicks are fully independent at this stage of the season, and after quick health checks and transmitter removal, all adult kiwi were safely returned to their burrows.
This special footage was captured by kiwi handler Tamsin from Save the Kiwi, who led the transmitter removal mahi.
We estimate the 20 females and 21 males released in May last year have already produced around 10–15 kiwi pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) chicks in their very first breeding season — a strong sign the habitat is just right.
With transmitters now removed from all ten males, the kiwi are completely free, with no further handling needed. Annual kiwi call counts by staff and volunteers will help track the growing population across our 690 ha, ring-fenced, pest-free sanctuary.
Credit: Video courtesy of Tamsin Ward-Smith, Save the Kiwi
Thanks to our partnership with @terunangaotoa Ngati Toa and Save the Kiwi
#kiwipukupuku #littlespottedkiwi #brookwaimaramasanctuary #nelson #thetopofthesouth #conservation #biodiversity #nativebirds #natureloversnz #newzealandwildlife #pestfree #ringfencedsanctuary #conservationinaction
Jan 29
🎻 45 min string quartet concert at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
Come and hear a dynamic young string quartet perform a 45 min concert at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. We welcome everyone to come along, and bring anyone you think might be curious to hear some classical music in a relaxed environment.
The @antipodes.quartet is part of the Fellowship Ensemble Programme, a joint venture between the @adamchambermusicfestival, @newzealandstringquartet and @chambermusicnz, as a career-development experience offered to four of this country’s most promising young string players.
The Antipodes Quartet are Eden Annesley (violin), Mana Waiariki (violin), Tal Amoore (viola) and Lavinnia Rae (cello).
On this occasion, Brook Waimārama Sanctuary are welcoming everyone at local prices: Adult $15, Child $9; Family $35 (on the door)
Find out more: (Link in bio)
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #NelsonNZ #Whakatū #WhatsonNelson #NelsonTasman #LiveMusicNZ #ChamberMusicNZ #StringQuartet #ClassicalMusicNZ #AdamChamberMusicFestival #NewZealandStringQuartet #ChamberMusicNewZealand #FamilyFriendly #NatureAndCulture #SupportLocalArts
Jan 27
2026 Bug of the year is here!
The lesser known cousin to bird of the year has come around(wait till they hear about fish or fungus of the year). This showdown aims to highlight the critters that go underappreciated compared to celebrity species like kākāpō. We would like to highlight the strange and wonderful species that occur within the Sanctuary, with the hopes to earn your vote!
Kahuwai | Black Tunnelweb Spider
Porrhothele antipodiana
I have a mixed history with this incredible spider. One hairy individual decided that my jersey pocket was a great place to set up shop. It received a rude awakening upon the home invasion of my unaware hand. Its brilliant fangs pierced and invenomated my finger, and despite the swelling and the shock and the pain… I couldn’t help but feel bad for evicting the guy. Its hobbit-like hole dwelling nature led the spider to my soft, warm pocket. Ironically, but not surprisingly, this species was the inspiration for Peter Jackson’s ‘Shelob’ in the Lord of the Rings films.
Kahuwai, the black tunnelweb spider, forms dense sheets of silk surrounding their tunnels. These sheets are monitored by the spider, who detects vibrations of a passer by. Wētā, land hoppers and any other unlucky invertebrate. The kahuwai swiftly grabs its prey and drags it into the depths. This spider however is also the victim of the endemic golden hunter wasp, who paralyses the spider before dragging it into the wasp’s nest (talk about shoes on the other foot!) and laying an egg beside it. The spider then becomes baby formula.
Despite the bite, this amazing spider has my vote! Check out the New Zealand Bug Of the Year 2026 website! Voting closes on the 16th of February!
Photo: @henry._.hart (in the second image of Shelob`s lair you can see a giant pill millipede has fallen victim...)
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #BugOfTheYear
Jan 25
2026 Bug of the year is here!
The lesser known cousin to bird of the year has come around(wait till they hear about fish or fungus of the year). This showdown aims to highlight the critters that go underappreciated compared to celebrity species like kākāpō. We would like to highlight the strange and wonderful species that occur within the Sanctuary, with the hopes to earn your vote!
This candidate is the beautifully disguised Rō, the Two-Spined Stick Insect. Micrachus hystriculeus is endemic to central Aotearoa, most common from Nelson, through Marlborough and Wellington. Stick insects display a classic example of crypsis. That is, their behaviour and physiology work in tandem to remain completely undetected and unharmed. They feed on leaves high in the canopy of trees like kānuka. At night you can often spot them, usually with the small males riding on the backs of the much larger females.
All modern New Zealand stick insects are the relatives of two colonisation events from New Caledonia around 30 million years ago. They radiated into nine separate genera and dispersed into coastal, lowland and subalpine ecosystems throughout the motu. This species, alongside at least five other stick insect species, live out their slow and sticky lives within the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.
Will you vote for Micrachus hystriculeus? Check out the New Zealand Bug Of the Year 2026 website! Voting closes on the 16th of February!
Stay tuned for our last candidate…
Photo: Saryu Mae - @invertebratist
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #BugOfTheYear
Jan 24
