Dear Keith
On behalf of the Director-General of the Department of Conservation, I confirm receipt of your request for official information. Your request has been forwarded to the relevant business group for processing. You will receive a reply in accordance with the requirements of the Official Information Act 1982.
Yours sincerely
Alan Moran
for Director-General

Alan Moran
Ministerial Support Advisor (GSU)
Strategy and Innovation - Te Punaha Rautaki/Auaha
Department of Conservation–Te Papa Atawhai
027 2013654
Conservation for prosperity Tiakina te taiao, kia puawai 
www.doc.govt.nz

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Hi Keith, will follow up

Alan Moran
Ministerial Support Advisor (GSU)
Strategy and Innovation - Te Punaha Rautaki/Auaha
Department of Conservation–Te Papa Atawhai
(04) 4713286. VPN 8286
Conservation for prosperity Tiakina te taiao, kia puawai 
www.doc.govt.nz

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Dear Keith

 

Thank you for your query concerning obtaining/holding pheasants, quail and
partridge in captivity. Your query is reproduced below.

 

“Dear Department of Conservation,

 

I am a collector of birds and have quail, pheasants, partridge, and have
been told by your department that we do not need a permit to have these
birds as long as we are not releasing them ,there is still a  bit  of
confusing information  out there about, when you need and if you need a
permit, and bird fancier's are worryed .You can have up to 99 hens before
you need a permit ,so why can't it b as simple as that  for game birds .

These birds keeped  by us keep the blood lines going and  its now   very
hard to bring new birds in to the country but I can buy game birds eggs on
trade me and hatch them, after being told I can have the legally.

Yours faithfully,

 

keith ladbrook”

 

In answer to your query.

 

Quail & Partridge

An authority (permit) is required from the Department of Conservation to
obtain and hold in captivity Grey partridge, Red-legged partridge,
Bobwhite quail, Brown quail and California quail as these are not domestic
birds within the definition of the Wildlife Act 1953, but are game under
schedule 1 of the Act.

 

Pheasants

An authority (permit) is required from the Department of Conservation to
obtain and hold in captivity any pheasant of the genus Phesianus and any
cross of any such bird with any other species, variety, or kind of
pheasant unless the pheasant is deemed to be a domestic bird as per the
Wildlife Act 1953.

A pheasant is not deemed to be a domestic bird in the following
circumstances (i.e. an authority is required)

a.       It is fed on any land or premises and not confined within an
enclosure

b.       It held pursuant to an authority permit under the Wildlife Act
1953 sections 23, 53 or 56 for the purposes of liberating at large as game

c.       It is made available for hunting

A pheasant is deemed to be a domestic bird in the following circumstances
(i.e. no authority is required):

a.       it is kept, held, raised or bred on premises for which the
predominant purpose is

i.                     the sale of pheasant of pheasant meat; or,

ii.                   live pheasants for human consumption  

You noted in your query that you can “buy game birds eggs on trade me and
hatch them, after being told I can have the legally”.

You could only buy the eggs of any bird considered game under the Wildlife
Act if authorised to do so by the Department of Conservation. The person
offering such eggs for sale must also be authorised to do so. Please note,
it is an offence against the Wildlife Act to purchase or sell such eggs
without an authority.

There is no record in our database of you having such an authorisation, so
if you possess the eggs of any birds considered game under the Wildlife
Act or have any birds being quail, partridge or pheasants which are
considered to be game under the Wildlife Act in your possession, please
contact your nearest Department of Conservation Regional Office to discuss
their surrender.  

Regards

Permissions Team
Department of Conservation - Te Papa Atawhai
07 858 1000  
Kirikiriroa/Hamilton Office
Private Bag 3072,
Hamilton 3240
Conservation for Prosperity Tiakina te taiao, kia puawai
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