Kill Sign

Predators might be stealthy but they often leave behind uneaten remains of their bird, egg, small mammal, reptile or insect victims. Likely killers can be identified from the type of prey, the way it was killed and eaten, and the location of the kill sign. Kill sign isn't the most clear-cut way to identify a predatory animal pest, though, so look for other clues as well, such as footprints or droppings.

NATIVE PREDATORS
Be aware that predators native to New Zealand, as well as introduced predators, might leave kill sign. There are three native birds of prey – the New Zealand falcon, the swamp harrier and the morepork. Other native birds that are partially predatory include: black-backed gulls, kea, skua and weka. All these birds may prey on small animals, including other birds, introduced mammals, lizards, frogs and insects, and some are also scavengers. See New Zealand Birds Online for more information.

SCAVENGING
Remember that animal or egg remains might have been scavenged after the initial kill – and not necessarily by the same species. Most pest predators will scavenge, as will some of the predators native to New Zealand. See some possible examples of scavenging.

Scavenging is difficult to distinguish from kill sign but look nearby for other signs, such as footprints or droppings, that might help identify the predator or the scavenger. A scavenger may still be attracted to the corpse so keep an eye out for the animal itself.

Narrow your search to specific types of Kill Sign:

Fur, feathers or scales (vertebrate)

  • PestDetec pic needed Mouse kill: a bird killed by a mouse
  • Kiore kill 1 500x500 Kiore: this Cook’s petrel was eaten by a kiore.
  • Ship rat kill 1 500x500 Ship rat eating a fantail chick it has just taken from the nest.
  • PestDetec pic requested Norway rat feeding on a seabird carcass.
  • Possum kill 10 500x500 A possum eating a nestling.
  • PestDetec-image-needed.jpg Pig kill: remains of animal killed or scavenged by a pig - photos needed.
  • Hedgehog kill 500x500 Hedgehog eating a frog.
  • Cat kill 2 500x500 Cat kill: the remains of a kakapo killed by a cat.
  • PestDetec pic needed Weasel kill: photos of examples needed
  • Stoat kill 4 500x500 Stoat kill - a weka killed by a stoat.
  • Ferret kill 500x500 Ferret killing a rabbit.
  • PestDetec pic needed Rook kill - photos needed of rook-predated mouse or lizard remains
  • PestDetec pic needed Australian magpie kill - photos needed of magpie predation on mouse, bird, lizard or frog; or of a magpie in the act of eating one of these.

Insects or snails (invertebrate)

  • Plague skink kill 2sq Plague skink with moth kill.
  • PestDetec pic needed Mouse-chewed snail shell or other invertebrate kill sign
  • PestDetec pic needed Kiore-chewed snail shell or other invertebrate kill sign.
  • PestDetec pic needed Ship rat-predated remains of snail shells and insects.
  • Norway rat kill 2 500x500 Norway rat feeding station containing shell fragments.
  • Possum kill 5 500x500 Possum damage to land snails.
  • Pig kill 1sq Pigs root in fallen logs hunting for food, including insects and small animals.
  • PestDetec info only alt Hedgehog invertebrate kill sign.
  • PestDetec info only alt Cat invertebrate kill.
  • weasel kill 2 500x500 Weasel kill sign on a beetle.
  • PestDetec info only alt Stoat invertebrate kill.
  • PestDetec info only alt Ferret invertebrate kill.
  • PestDetec info only alt Rainbow lorikeet eating invertebrates.
  • Magpie kill 1sq An Australian magpie extracting a worm from the ground.
  • PestDetec pic needed Rook-predated snail or other invertebrate remains - photo needed.

Eggs

  • PestDetec pic needed Kiore egg predation.
  • Ship rat kill 4 500x500 Ship rat-predated tui egg
  • PestDetec pic needed Norway rat egg predation.
  • Possum kill 8 500x500 Possum-predated kokako eggs.
  • PestDetec info only alt Pig egg kill.
  • PestDetec pic needed Hedgehog egg predation.
  • PestDetec pic needed Cat egg predation.
  • weasel kill 500x500 Weasel with an egg.
  • Stoat kill 7 500x500 Stoat-predated takahe egg.
  • PestDetec pic needed Ferret-predated egg.
  • PestDetec pic needed Rook-predated egg.- photo needed
  • PestDetec pic needed Australian magpie predation - photos needed of remains of a predated bird's egg, or of a magpie in act of eating one.