Auckland Branch

To be held at the Birkenhead RSA on the North Shore

Guest Speaker is Bird Song Researcher - Professor Dianne Brunton
 

The Auckland Branch and North Shore Sub-branch of the GSA are co-hosting the first branch meeting of the year on Friday, 27th March 2026 starting at 10.00am. The venue for this meeting is the RSA in Birkenhead as we want to make this meeting more accessible to the large number of members we have living on the North Shore. All GSA Auckland members are invited to this free event and we hope to see some new faces. 


Our guest speaker for this special event will be Professor Dianne Brunton, Faculty of Science, Biological Sciences, Auckland University.  Dianne’s presentation will cover her highlights from 35 years of researching birdsong, bird behaviour, and conservation in New Zealand. She will speak on how Aotearoa New Zealand’s past and present conservation approaches aimed at long term protection of our endemic and native birds have provided opportunities to gain insights into the processes of cultural evolution, transmission of song, and vocal complexity. Dianne will use examples from the research that she and her students have conducted over the last 35 years. Their aims have been to test behavioural theory and enhance conservation outcomes. She will present some of the key findings from multiple studies of Korimako Bellbirds (Anthornis melanura) and Tieke North Island Saddlebacks (Philesturnus Rufusater) within protected environments. 
 
Date:     Friday, 27th of March 2026

Time:    10.00am for morning tea and Professor Brunton's speech begins at 11am

Venue:   Birkenhead RSA, Recreation Drive, Birkenhead 0626
 

RSVP:   For catering purposes, please let Andrea, our Secretary, know if you are attending by Friday, 20 March.  Email her on auckland@gsa.org.nz or call 0800 888 472. Apologies are not necessary for this event
 

Members are welcome to bring their spouse or a guest along. Please note there is plenty of parking at the RSA which is well signposted. There is a lift from the main floor down to the function room where the event will be held.
 
We look forward to seeing you there.