The Robin's Return

Once again, the stakes of Merton's field experiments could scarcely be higher.

– Writer Paul Stanley Ward, in his backgrounder on the black robin documentaries

The film seemed to capture people's imaginations. We were frequently asked what was happening to the black robins ... Before long, he [Don Merton] was proposing a plan as risky as the original transfer ... the technique known as 'cross-fostering". At this time the technique had never been used in New Zealand...

– Authors Rod Morris and Hal Smith on events following the first black robins documentary, in 1988 book Wild South: Saving New Zealand's Endangered Birds, page 166

Despite all the experiments, Don doesn't know if the warblers will accept a robin egg. It seems highly risky to hijack Old Green's precious clutch.

– Narrator Peter Hayden

...although the [Mangere] island is quite large, the actual habitat involved is very very small: it's only about five hectares. This in itself would be a danger, to have a world population of any species just in a tiny bush remnant like that.

– Don Merton