The Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre has cared thousands of birds since its establishment in August 1992.  The founders have over 30 years’ experience working with native birds and they manage the centre with the help of a small committee of volunteers. More than 60% of the birds that are brought into the centre are successfully released.

The centre takes in introduced, indigenous and native injured birds. And, where possible, nurses birds back to health for release into the wild.

A special part of the centre is the Bayer incubation unit and kiwi recovery pens. This facility is used to incubate eggs found in the wild and also as a recovery area for injured kiwi.  In the Whangarei area, dogs are the biggest cause of kiwi deaths and injuries, followed by motor vehicles.