UPDATED 11.20AM: A Northland iwi leader has acknowledged the public is interested in his Kereru poaching court case.

Sonny Tau has appeared this morning in the Invercargill District Court.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of unlawfully possessing five kereru, but denies a charge of hunting and killing the wood pigeons.

Outside court, the 61-year-old Ngapuhi elder gave a brief statement, saying he ought not to comment any further when the matter was still before the courts.

The judge has remanded the matter to a case review hearing.

Sonny Tau has also been excused from his next hearing in September.