A Canterbury man has been fined $6000 for driving a digger repeatedly through a large black-billed gull colony, destroying their nests.

Clive Gordon drove a utility vehicle and a 14-tonne digger through about 100 birds on his property in Belfast, in November last year.

Department of Conservation (DOC) staff visited the site following a tip off from the public, and found it abandoned, with several dead chicks, broken eggs and wrecked nests.

DOC operations manager Andy Thompson said the incident was confronting, due to the scale of the disturbance and the deaths of the species.

"Black-billed gulls are endemic to New Zealand – they are found nowhere else.

"While it may seem like they're doing well because they are frequently seen, black-billed gulls are at risk and declining. Habitat loss, introduced predators, weed encroachment, and disturbance all threaten their continued survival.

"A colony of this size being abandoned due to disturbance is a significant blow for a species which is declining faster than it can breed."

Thompson said it was unacceptable to kill or disturb protected native species and DOC will respond very seriously to any incident like this one.

"While DOC accepts Mr Gordon did not know black-billed gulls are protected, ignorance of the species' protected status is not an excuse. This incident was repeated, deliberate and shocking in extent, smashing nests with the tracks and bucket of a 14-tonne digger.

"If there's a positive to come out of this distressing incident, we hope public awareness of black-billed gulls and their protected status increases."

Gordon pleaded guilty to the destruction, and was today fined $6000.

Black-billed gulls / tarāpuka are absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act and it is illegal to disturb, harm or kill them. Disturbing protected birds and destroying nests is an offence under the Wildlife Act 1953 and can result in imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $100,000.

rnz.co.nz