National bird threat rates are remaining steady, with no more birds added to the near-extinct group.
Tuke Photo: Supplied / James Reardon
The Department of Conservation's (DOC) latest report assessed the country's 491 birds and found the majority had not changed groups since the last report in 2016.
DOC terrestrial director Ian Angus said while the report was a step in the right direction, 22 species have gotten worse.
"[There] is no room for complacency...[We] need to continue ramping up conservation work because so many of our native bird species will slip into more threatened categories without ongoing effort," he said.
Angus said conservation efforts were up against the challenge of climate change, which was starting to show its teeth.
DOC has identified 69 birds which will experience or already are experiencing the effects of climate change.
One is the spotted shag, after the destruction of many cliff ledge nesting sites on Banks Peninsula during the Christchurch earthquake.
Spotted shag Photo: Supplied / Rod Morris
Some alpine nesting birds, such as tuke/rock wren and Hutton's shearwater, could see an increase in rat and stoat predators if alpine environments become warmer - a process known as 'thermal squeeze.'
However, it is not all bad news.
A small victory is the improvement of 25 species, which Angus said was something to celebrate.
Two types of kiwi, the North Island brown kiwi and Haast tokoeka, are some of those who have seen an increased number of birds.
North Island Brown Kiwi Photo: Supplied / Rod Morris
The same can be said for the Antipodes Island snipe and pipit and Campbell Island teal which have benefitted from predator-free islands.
Angus said "in the case of brown kiwi, it shows that the sustained conservation efforts over 30 years by community groups, iwi and hapū, Save the Kiwi (formerly named Kiwis for kiwi), scientists and government agencies are working."
But he warned more conservation efforts were needed.
"Even birds with an improved status, such as brown kiwi, are flagged with the qualifier 'Conservation Dependent' meaning that they will almost certainly backslide without continued, concerted conservation management."
