During spring and summer, the parapara tree develops a glue-like coating on its seeds, which is designed to assist their dispersal and stays sticky for months, Webb said.
Small birds such as fantails and wax-eyes, a few of which he’d previously treated for the same problem, were attracted to the seeds - probably because of the bugs that got stuck to them, Webb said.
Unable to escape the tree’s sticky grip, the small birds either died of exhaustion or became prey for bigger predators like owls, which then also got stuck.
Endemic to New Zealand, the parapara tree, with its variegated leaves, is common in gardens around Northland. Many people didn’t know they had it or thought it was a loquat tree until they discovered a bird caught in it or noticed their cat’s fur was suddenly sticky.
Webb encouraged people to remove the trees from their gardens and said anyone who found a bird stuck in it should bring the bird to the recovery centre.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
