A conservation society is fundraising to reintroduce the little spotted kiwi to Auckland.

The Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society (SOSSI) has set up a crowdfunding page to bring the country's smallest Kiwi species back to Shakespear Regional Park on the Whangaparaoa peninsula.

The second-rarest of the five species, the little spotted kiwi has a population of about 1500. Twelve-hundred live on Kāpiti Island, off the west coast of the lower North Island.

SOSSI plans to bring 20 individuals to the nature reserve - 10 females from Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Hauraki Gulf and 10 males from Kāpiti Island. More birds from Kāpiti will replace those taken from Tiritiri Matangi.

Over 2017 to 2020, more birds will be moved from crowded populations on places like Tiritiri Matangi to Shakespear, and backfilled with new birds from Kāpiti.

SOSSI says the moving process is long and expensive.

"Shakespear offers a reasonably large safe habitat (500ha) which can significantly contribute to overall population growth," it says.

"The total estimated cost is around $60,000, made up mostly of hiring approved handlers and dogs to locate and capture birds, buying radio trackers for each bird, plus transport and other overheads. In a few years a further 20 kiwi will come from Kāpiti (at yet more cost)."

Natural population growth is currently restricted with the little spotted kiwi scattered around the country in 'metapopulations', meaning separate groups of the same species separated geographically.

Auckland Council senior ranger Matt Maitland told RNZ the kiwi is further restricted by its flightless capabilities.

"The fact that our birds are stuck on offshore islands means they cannot join up with each other. We have to facilitate that by moving birds around," he said.

SOSSI has raised over half the funds needed, but have set up a Givealittle page to help propel them further towards their goal.

The society says if they reach two-thirds or three-quarters of their goal by February, the moving process could begin next April.

Newshub.