Auckland - A plucky New Zealand bird has left environment experts scratching their heads after he managed to fly more than 60km to his former home to be with his mate.
Roselie Stamp from New Zealand's department of conservation said "RG", a 10g male tomtit, flew back to his original home from an island wildlife sanctuary where he had been moved.
"He was able to make it back, dodging predators all the way and somehow getting enough food to get him there," Stamp said.
RG was one of 32 endangered tomtits transferred to the Hauraki Gulf's Tiritiri Matangi island in April because his original habitat was home to a range of predators including rats, stoats and ferrets.
RG's mate eluded capture during the transfer, forcing her mate to brave the open sea and unfamiliar landscape to rejoin her.
While the trip to the sanctuary involved a car journey and helicopter ride in a dark box, RG relied solely on innate navigation to get home.
Project co-ordinator Barbara Hughes described RG as "a bird with attitude who likes it tough," she said. - Sapa-AFP