In New Zealand, sugar water feeding is used to support endangered endemic nectarivorous species, such as hihi/stitchbird at Tiritiri Matangi Island reserve or kākā in Orokonui Eco sanctuary. However, most sugar water feeding in New Zealand is carried out by residents in their gardens, and it is becoming progressively more widespread throughout the country. Almost 20% of New Zealand households engaged in wild bird feeding use sugar-water feeders in their gardens, on average providing 114 L of white or brown sugar water solution to birds per year.

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       Habitat loss and the consequent lack of natural food resources in urban areas, as well as predation by both introduced mammalian predators has led to a decline in populations of native birds in urban areas of New Zealand. About half of New Zealand households feed birds in their gardens, with bread and seed being the most commonly used type of food. Current grain-based bird feeding practices in New Zealand also contribute to an increase in introduced bird species, adding competition as a stressor for native birds. Bread and seed feeding promotes the numerical dominance of introduced granivorous bird populations, which compete for habitat with urban native birds, which are not granivorous.

 

     In this context, urban sugar water feeding in New Zealand is an alternative feeding tool for encouraging nectarivorous birds into backyards and private gardens by providing them with a supplementary food source. Furthermore, urban residents can enjoy backyard bird watching and use bird feeders to attract wildlife, which, benefit human well-being and the overall quality of city life. Using sugar water instead of grain-based feeders can help citizens attract and interact with declining native avian fauna. Finally, supporting native bird populations is important because New Zealand indigenous birds are part of national identity and are treated as taonga in the indigenous Māori culture.