tuturiwhatu (female) - banded dotterel - Charadrius bicinctus
The banded dotterel is the most common small plover of New Zealand seashores, estuaries and riverbeds. Although their plumage varies seasonally, they are readily identified by their brown upper parts and complete or partial chestnut breast band, the latter being quite striking in breeding plumage. Like other typical plovers, the body is held erect and they have a characteristic run-stop-peck-run foraging behaviour in their pursuit of small invertebrates.
Inland-breeding birds undertake a post-breeding migration to estuaries and other coastal wetlands the length of New Zealand and many also travel to Tasmania and south-east mainland Australia in an unusual east-west migration - www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
tuturiwhatu (female) - banded dotterel - Charadrius bicinctus
The banded dotterel is the most common small plover of New Zealand seashores, estuaries and riverbeds. Although their plumage varies seasonally, they are readily identified by their brown upper parts and complete or partial chestnut breast band, the latter being quite striking in breeding plumage. Like other typical plovers, the body is held erect and they have a characteristic run-stop-peck-run foraging behaviour in their pursuit of small invertebrates.
Inland-breeding birds undertake a post-breeding migration to estuaries and other coastal wetlands the length of New Zealand and many also travel to Tasmania and south-east mainland Australia in an unusual east-west migration - www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz