Bird Recovery Centre

Fantastic experience: Robert and Sparky were amazing

Fantastic experience: It was only a short visit and encounter with two of the people working there but it was very nice. Very nice collection of birds to look at in the building opposite the hospital and one Kereru, that gets care at the moment. Several other birds were released into the wild shortly before, which is so great to hear! But it's not a "sightseeing" stop as the google maps reviews and slme blog entries implicate!

Fantastic experience: Such friendly and helpful people!

Fantastic experience: Erin is very kind and we were happy to meet him! Such a pleasure to see as much devotion and passion put in his work! Even if the birds were released some days ago, we saw a kereru wood pigeon, a pukeko and doves! We also fed, with Erin, a swamp harrier hawk, which was a great experience! Also, thank you for Angine De Poitrine

Fantastic experience: Amazing people saving our local birds. When I recently found an injured Kingfisher it gave me such peace of mind knowing exactly what I could do to help. Straight to the Bird Recovery Centre we went. Thanks Robert and Robyn for your ongoing dedication.

Fantastic experience: They are truly one of Whangarei's treasures. If you have the opportunity to visit or support them, please do.

Fantastic experience: November 2025 Robert, vielen Dank für eure Arbeit dort und deine Zeit und alles zu zeigen. Es war sehr interessant und informativ.

Fantastic experience: Erin was such a great guide ! and I got to see a couple of kiwis ! would give it a 6/5 if I could

Fantastic experience: The work they do here to help birds that have suffered some kind of injury is wonderful. The workers demonstrate passion and are very kind to both people and birds. They answered all our questions patiently. The place is small but very charming, and they also have a small aviary with several birds that are recovering or can't return to the wild. Thanks to Robert and Erin for their care and for giving me the opportunity to meet Sparky.

Fantastic experience: Warm, caring and receptive when we bought in an injured bird. Could see the genuine enthusiasm for taking care of these animals that goes deeper than just a job. Well done to this conservation effort and thank you to Erin.

Fantastic experience: The staff and volunteers do such an amazing job. A big thank you to you all.

Positive experience: Not open when were there, but the museum and exhibit were nice.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful place doing very critical work. Richard, who runs the place, is a hilarious and thoughtful person. His best pal Sparky is amazing and thank you Richard for letting us meet him! Lovely to see such caring for our feathered friends. Take care and keep up the great work!

Fantastic experience: Very dedicated people. Had the chance to talk with Erin and see a blue pingouin doing some physiotherapy. Even saw a Ruru (pictured). Thank you very much

Fantastic experience: Lovely work they do here. Good on you and I hope your work will be kept safe for generations! My wife and me were absolutely flattered about everything you find and see there. The Centre for itself, the people working there, the animals (you can see they love it to be there on the good way of recovery) and also Robert Webb. All together my wife and I will be back for a visit on our second travel through NZ. Big hugs from Germany. See you. Donations will take a time, but that’s something I am absolutely happy to work for.

Fantastic experience: Cool place, they hade one kiwi when we wher ther

Fantastic experience: Robert and staff are doing a wonderful job. We need more people thinking and acting like this.

Fantastic experience: Very friendly, kind, and helpful folk here. Doing great work. Greatly appreciated.

Positive experience: Wir wollten das Center heute, Freitag den 15.11.24 um 13:10 besuchen. Als wir den Eingang suchten, kam ein Mann aus dem Hospital und meinte sehr freundlich, dass heute für Besucher geschlossen bleibt, auch wenn die Mitarbeiter selbst da sind. Sehr schade, da wir extra von Auckland die 2.5h hoch gefahren sind. Aber alles für die kleinen Patienten :) Liebe Grüße, ihr macht sicher tolle Arbeit :)

Fantastic experience: New seats for the centre.

Fantastic experience: I phoned them when a Kerereu flew into bedroom window..I found him resting..below...the advise I received Was out standing. He flew away after a wee rest..We need to support these bird & animal rescue centre's.. well done ✔️

Fantastic experience: Leuk

Fantastic experience: We desperately need this place!!! great service!!

Fantastic experience: We came hoping to meet the famous Sparky and got so lucky: Robert and one of the volunteers invited us to join a guided tour that was about to start. Such an amazing place, they do incredible work.

Fantastic experience: The work they do is absolutely brilliant, nothing is too much trouble for these wonderful volunteers. Our birdlife is so lucky to have this team.

Fantastic experience: We had a fabulous visit and I learnt so much. Absolutely loved it. Lived seeing my first Kiwi

Negative experience: We visited this centre today about 1pm to realise the unattended information room was the only public access available. Very disappointing as expected to be able to view the rehabilitation of Birds in the Centres care. There was a Donation Box in the room and YES we did make a. donation regardless of our disappointment

Fantastic experience: Awesome work these volunteers do, awesome place for birds to recover and the grounds are full of birds that are free to fly after they have been released & have chosen for stay, aways bring injured birds here! Wonderful place!

Fantastic experience: Support this place they do a lot for native wildlife in Northland

Fantastic experience: Best in NZ

Fantastic experience: Amazing sehr guter ort

Fantastic experience: Spoke to Rob on the phone and a couple hours later we were at the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre getting a tour of the grounds with the man himself! Rob is the kind of man who is living the “do what you love & you’ll never work a day in your life” phrase. Very passionate about the work he’s doing and is more than happy to have a yarn with a couple tourists and let them meet the world famous Sparky the one-legged kiwi! The highlight of our NZ tour without a doubt. Please be sure to donate to the centre if you visit too, they need all the help they can get to continue doing the great work they do!! (It may even increase your chances of meeting the cutest little bird in NZ!!) Thanks again Rob, you gave us a great memory!

Positive experience: Amazed at the size of some of the Birds on display

Fantastic experience: Really dedicated staff with decades of experience and a passion for their work. We're incredibly lucky to have them.

Fantastic experience: Just amazed at the love of this couple for the birds in their care Please if you can support them as they do it all for live of injured birds

Fantastic experience: I found a baby fantail on the ground in the Bush track during horrendous weather. I couldn't leave him there so I gathered him up, but quickly realised I wouldn't be able to look after him. A phone call to the bird recovery centre and a short drive later the little fellow was in good hands and had the best chance of survival. What a relief, as I did promise his Mummy that he would be okay. So thank you to the amazing team at the bird recovery, you do wonderful work!!

Fantastic experience: Phoned for advice several times when I found a distressed Petrel on the beach. Robert was very informative and helpful. Thanks!

Fantastic experience: Everyone should visit this place for a first class education in our feathered friends

Fantastic experience: They are always helpful

Fantastic experience: Awesome team who do awesome work, they deserve an award!

Negative experience: Wir waren sehr enttäuscht. 2 Tauben waren alles was wir in den hässlichen kleinen zugewachsenen Gehegenhinter 2 Zähnen gesehen haben. Es war auch niemand da, der einem Rat geben konnte.

Fantastic experience: I saved a tui that had been hurt. What an amazing bird centre. Rob an robin webb an the team deserve all the help they can. They save an educate us on our nz native birds. And are so passionate in helping people save our precious birds. More money is needed to help then. So get behind them nz ...

Fantastic experience: The Bird Recovery Maunu Whangarei is the most trustworthy and safest place to take an injured bird/s when a bird is in need of help, the people who work there do a marvellous job in caring and rehabilitating the birds back to a safe recovered health so that the birds can be set free back into their wild world.

Positive experience: It was close when we went there but wh had have chance to see the kiwi birds and the great museum

Fantastic experience: Andrew is amazing caring person. Please use this service and donate whenever you can. Thank you

Fantastic experience: Great service.

Fantastic experience: Great saw a 10 day old kiwi chick

Fantastic experience: Kind friendly people, doing a great job. A nice place to visit.

Fantastic experience: Don't know much about it but they got back to me quickly in the evening and I was able to drop the juvenile kererù off soon after rescuing it from under a cattle stop. Very friendly man there...

Fantastic experience: This place is staffed by people with an amazing knowledge of caring for birds. We have taken many over the years and they always know what to do for the best. We have been up at all times of day and night, and they seem ready to be there to help. The education centre when available is interesting and informative and if you have the time, wander around the back to the aviaries they have there to see some of the birds in longer- term care.

Fantastic experience: Great place to visit and see kiwi up close

Fantastic experience: This is a caring and honorable establishment where no bird in need of help is turned away. I thank you all for your dedication.

Fantastic experience: Definitely worth a visit!

Fantastic experience: Take my hat off for the hard worker. Who cares for our native Birds. Power wheelchair friendly

Fantastic experience: Awesome place just about to take a baby dove over there

Negative experience: It didn't match what it advertised online and we did not see any staff to talk to.

Fantastic experience: The Webb's and their volunteers do the most amazing work rescuing and rehabilitating birds.

Fantastic experience: Very lovely people who do amazing work

Fantastic experience: They do amazing work to save injured and orphaned birds.

Fantastic experience: Such kind people, really doing good work here

Fantastic experience: I have nothing but admiration for the work done by the staff at Bird Recovery Centre. Very friendly very informative.

Fantastic experience: I accidentally stumbled upon this place whilst I was staying in the CBD for the night. What a little gem of a place. We met the nicest guy. Thank you so much to Robert for showing us our first Kiwi bird before we headed home to the UK. What a treat. This is something we will never forget ❤

Fantastic experience: a real unique Kiwi experience!

Fantastic experience: Robert & Robin....your wonderful

Fantastic experience: These guys are heroes. Saving our injured kiwi

Fantastic experience: Short but very eye-opening experience. Met with Rob very kind and friendly person and saw young kiwi. Lots of materials and information about birds. Living native birds, singing Tui's and other birds. Thank you for having this opportunity! (don't forget to donate to conserve this unique place)

Fantastic experience: Loved this well worth the extra money, awsome guide that talked about the kiwi, was the highlight of our day, we got to touch our icon.

Fantastic experience: What a remarkable experience meeting the birds especially the Tuis who had memorised and repeated such phrases as “come up here” and “give us a kiss“, whistling tunes especially “pop goes the weasel”! All of these have been learned apparently from another bird, but originally from Robert, the bird recovery guardian!

Fantastic experience: Check opening times before you visit. The friendly staff and interaction with the patients on our trip was incredible. But I think for us,was just a matter of timing. We weren't there for long and but after going to kiwi north and the museum first, this was great.

Fantastic experience: Amazing experience.. especially for people who never had close interaction with birds.. you can go inside the cage and feed the birds..

Fantastic experience: They do a fantastic job

Fantastic experience: Was there with my wife, must visit instead of the kiwi museum in Front of the reco centre

Fantastic experience: This is a fantastic experience for adults and children alike. It's the perfect place to see a live kiwi and learn all.about NZ native birds. Robert and Robyn are super dedicated to the Centre and absolutely love what they do. Their passion is obvious to all.visitors.

Fantastic experience: Wenn man schon keinen Kiwi in freier Wildbahn sieht, dann aber hier. Der Besitzer ist super freundlich und gibt sein Wissen über die Vögel gerne weiter und hat auch sonst tolle Geschichten auf Lager.

Fantastic experience: stunning place..20$ entrance but u could spend the whole day there!

Fantastic experience: A wonderful place, saving 100s of birds a year

Fantastic experience: Wonderful people helping sick or injured birdies

Positive experience: Beautiful place to teach kids about the sick birds

Fantastic experience: A highlight from my trip. I'll go back and see Sparky again. Don't forget to leave a donation, very important!

Positive experience: I got to stroke a kiwi

Fantastic experience: Great kiwi experience

Fantastic experience: Das Native Bird Recovery Centre ist ein verstecktes Juwel im Norden Neuseelands und wir können es gar nicht genug weiterempfehlen! Direkt hinter Kiwi North gelegen, findet ihr eine kleine Wiese, zu deren Linksseite eine Art Education Room eingerichtet ist. Auf der rechten Seite befindet sich, ich würde es mal das Office nennen, an welchem es rechts vorbei zu den Tieren geht. Robert, den wohl gutherzigsten Menschen, kann man dort eigentlich nicht verfehlen. + Kostenfreier Eintritt, wobei eine Spende sehr zu empfehlen ist (für uns Touristen ist Bargeld zu empfehlen) + Kostenfreie und nahegelegene Parkplätze + Ca. 1.300 Tiere pro Jahr gerettet, gepflegt und wieder in die Freiheit entlassen + Die seltenen Kiwis sind nebst anderen wunderbaren Tieren zu sehen, derzeit jedoch "nur" (was aber schon wunderbar genug ist) der kleine Spark, der Roberts treuer Begleiter ist + Für eine 10 Dollar Spende kann man Spark streicheln, füttern und was noch besser ist, man erfährt von Robert alles, was man wissen möchte und viel von dem, was er erlebt hat! Für uns hat er sich sogar 2 h Zeit genommen! + Man leistet mit seiner Spende einen guten und sinnvollen Beitrag + Im Education Room gibt es unfassbar viele Bilder, Plakate und Geschichten zu entdecken. Wie würden uns freuen, dich in Deutschland wiederzutreffen! Alles Liebe von Mathias und Michèle

Fantastic experience: The bird recovery center is truly a gem of New Zealand, I had the opportunity to meet Robert on a recent trip and it was the highlight of my vacation. During my visit I got to meet Sparky one of the only brown kiwi that people can see up close and personal in New Zealand. Robert's passion for education and sustainability of endemic birds is unmatched. As with many kiwi houses in NZ kiwi are kept in darkened rooms to stimulate their environment and in accordance to regulation and law. The bird recovery center allows for the occasion to see a kiwi up close and personal, unlike the darkened blob at many other locations. This darkened environment is not entirely natural as the kiwi is not a nocturnal bird and provides a disservice to those looking to learn more. Sparky is a wonderful little bird, he lost a leg in an animal trap but has been is now healthy and full of energy. Robert uses Sparky as an educational tool to teach the people of NZ about the national icon. This is truly a gem and recommend anyone visiting NZ to make the trip up to Whangarei and drop in. Though location may not always be open(sometimes the sign says closes) , keep a look out for Robert's truck, as he may be in the back feeding! The aviary is open and free to visit. You can even see Sparky hunt for worms! I highly suggest providing a donation to help sustain the center and feed Sparky and his friends. I also had the rare opportunity to see a kiwi chick that was recently hatched, Robert ensures they are healthy and in good shape before releasing them into the wild! Thank you again to Robert and the center for the opportunity of a lifetime!

Fantastic experience: Robert and his wife are doing a fantastic work keep it up

Positive experience: Solid effort for those who have a heart

Fantastic experience: Noice

Fantastic experience: Robert was very practical and helpful when I rang about feeding a chick fallen from its nest.

Fantastic experience: Michael spent an eternity with my daughters and I sharing stories about their birds and the history of their conservation efforts. When I mentioned we were here as part of our daughters traveling homeschool education, he went out of his way to spend extra time, give us recommendations for other educational sites, and even provide us with some learning materials to study on our own. We even got to pet a kiwi! A highlight of our trip for sure!

Fantastic experience: Great place, great people and all for a good cause. Next time in NZ I will be there again :)

Fantastic experience: Robert do lots to help injured birds to recover and back to the wild. Worth go to have a look. You may also have chance to in touch with a kiwi if there is one~