A Northland Maori elder is set to appear in court this morning, after being caught at Invercargill Airport in June, with a number of dead Kereru.

Sonny Tau is charged with possession of a protected species.

He's due in the Invercargill District Court at 9am.

Since the incident, the 61-year-old Ngapuhi leader has stepped aside from treaty negotiations.

The maximum penalty for taking a protected species is a fine of up to $100,000 or two years in prison.