Poised to Dive (Tara-iti/fairy tern)

Limited edition fine art giclée print produced in Wellington using the highest quality archival paper, inks and processes. Each print is hand signed and numbered by Hannah.

Caring for your print – For maximum longevity of your print, we recommend framing it with UV-resistant glass and also not hanging it in direct sunlight.

Available sizes:

• A4 – $140
• A3 – $220
• A2 – $380
• A1 – $680

The tara iti - also known as the New Zealand fairy tern - is NZ’s most endangered native bird. There are fewer than a dozen breeding pairs and only about 40 individuals in total, which live on the shores between Whangarei and Auckland. This artwork of a beautiful tara iti in flight was drawn from an image taken by Darren Markin, who photographed the bird in Mangawhai while it was fishing. These special birds are carefully monitored and protected, particularly around breeding season, with each bird having unique leg bands to be able to identify them individually. Darren has been photographing and helping monitor the birds for 5 years, and his favourite part is being out with his camera, in nature in the peaceful and remote locations where they are found. Along with volunteering for The Fairy Tern Charitable Trust at Waipu, he photographs the birds and records their sightings, which he shares with the Department of Conservation. The tara iti have really struggled with the introduction of predators (like mustelids, rats, hedgehogs, dogs and cats), along with habitat loss, strong weather events and beach disturbance by humans, so it’s an important job for us to look after them.