Ngapuhi chairman Sonny Tau has apologised after he was caught trying to smuggle protected wood pigeons in his jacket on to a flight.

Mr Tau issued a statement this afternoon saying he was not facing charges over the incident, and gave assurances he would comply with investigators.

"I also wish to say this was a mistake, which I deeply regret," he wrote.

"The laws around native bird protection are important and to be respected by all, myself included."

Ngapuhi leader David Rankin had earlier defended Mr Tau's actions, saying he "did nothing wrong" by trying to smuggle the birds on a flight from Invercargill to Northland.

Kererū have been protected since 1921 and it is illegal to kill them.

Mr Rankin said it was "entirely culturally acceptable" to eat kererū and disputed their protected status, saying there "are thousands left".

"Sonny has done nothing wrong according to Ngapuhi tikanga, and article two of the Treaty of Waitangi guarantees Maori the full, exclusive and undisturbed possession of our fauna and flora," he said.

However, Ngapuhi elder Kingi Taurua told ONE News he didn't think laws protecting kereru should be relaxed.

"A kereru is a very sacrosanct bird, very tapu. It's only gathered when a person is on their last breath, when they're dying. That's the only time, usually, when the kererū is used - and that is to feed the person who they think is going to pass away," he said.