The haunting sound of the kokako could be heard again in the South Island after almost 50 years silence.
Eight birds from the North Island have been shifted south to the sanctuary of Secretary Island in Fiordland and more are to follow.
The South Island kokako are thought to be extinct but its North Island cousin has been managed from the brink of extinction.
South Island kokako had a bright orange wattle while the North Islander's wattle is more subdued.
The kokako is long on tail and short on wings which is why it struggled so hard against introduced rats, stoats and possums.
Secretary Island is a safe haven of over 8000 pest-free hectares of bush.
Kokako are good breeders and have one to three chicks a year but it will be some time before the population builds up to cover the forested area of the island.
One Department of Conservation worker will remain on the island to keep track of the birds.
"I'm not sure when the last kokako was heard in the South Island but it would be great to be the first person to hear it down here," Jane Tansell says.
