Plover bank
Spur-winged plover on the shore of Pauatahanui Inlet.
•Spur–winged plover Vanellus miles novaehollandiae
Travelling throughout New Zealand, especially through farmland, the one bird that one is most likely to see is the spur–winged plover, very often being harried by and, in turn, harrying a harrier hawk. However, the bird did not used to be so widespread, the first pair recorded breeding at Invercargiull airport in 1932. In spite of the heavy predation by harrier hawks and those rural people who make a habit of using birds for target practice, its numbers have now become so great that there is talk of culling them, especially where they are impinging on threatened species such as the New Zealand dotterel.
There are two well marked races of this bird; the smaller race, Vanellus miles novaehollandiae, originally just bred in the south–east of Australia but then externded its range to Tasmania and New Zealand. The other, northern, race, Vanellus miles miles, has extended its range from northern Australia to New Guinea.
Both races frequent wet grasslands but will readily adapt to man–made habitats such as pastures, sports grounds, airfields and even median strips on busy roads. Birds have even been known to nest on the roofs of houses. Because of this adaptability, the species has increased both in numbers and distribution since European settlement.
The spur–winged plover feeds mainly on insects, worms and similar small invertebrates but will also eat seeds. Their main call is a is a loud, penetrating rattle, often heard at night which may explain why farmers have grown to hate them.
38 cm., males 370g., females 350 g., olive–brown above and white below. The crown, outer wing feather and sub–terminal tail band are black and the wing has a brown–tipped yellow spur at the “wrist”. Both races have large yellow wattles but in the northern race this feature is larger and extends both above and behind the eye. The south–eastern race has a broad black stripe going down the back of the neck and a wide black patch on its shoulders. Intermediate forms are known, especially where the range of the races overlap.
Self introduced from Australia to Southland in the 1930’s the Spur-winged Plover is now found throughout New Zealand in open country pastures, wetland margins and estuaries.
This noisy large plover has a black crown, hind neck and shoulders in front of the bend of the wing. The back and wings are brown with a dark trailing edge to the wings, the rump is white and the tail is tipped black. The under parts are white and the legs and feet are reddish. The bill is yellow and the bird has a yellow facial patch and prominent wattles. The call is a loud staccato rattle ‘kerr-kick-ki-ki-ki’.
The eat earthworms and insects and their larvae, crustaceans and molluscs and also seeds and leaves.
Breeding is between June and late November with the peak in August. Several clutches are laid each year. The nest is a scrape in the ground, unlined or scantily lined situated in rough open pasture, a flat wet area or on stony ground. The clutch of 1 – 4 khaki eggs with brownish, black blotches is incubated by both sexes for 30 31 days. The fledging period is 7 – 8 weeks.
Plover bank
Spur-winged plover on the shore of Pauatahanui Inlet.
•Spur–winged plover Vanellus miles novaehollandiae
Travelling throughout New Zealand, especially through farmland, the one bird that one is most likely to see is the spur–winged plover, very often being harried by and, in turn, harrying a harrier hawk. However, the bird did not used to be so widespread, the first pair recorded breeding at Invercargiull airport in 1932. In spite of the heavy predation by harrier hawks and those rural people who make a habit of using birds for target practice, its numbers have now become so great that there is talk of culling them, especially where they are impinging on threatened species such as the New Zealand dotterel.
There are two well marked races of this bird; the smaller race, Vanellus miles novaehollandiae, originally just bred in the south–east of Australia but then externded its range to Tasmania and New Zealand. The other, northern, race, Vanellus miles miles, has extended its range from northern Australia to New Guinea.
Both races frequent wet grasslands but will readily adapt to man–made habitats such as pastures, sports grounds, airfields and even median strips on busy roads. Birds have even been known to nest on the roofs of houses. Because of this adaptability, the species has increased both in numbers and distribution since European settlement.
The spur–winged plover feeds mainly on insects, worms and similar small invertebrates but will also eat seeds. Their main call is a is a loud, penetrating rattle, often heard at night which may explain why farmers have grown to hate them.
38 cm., males 370g., females 350 g., olive–brown above and white below. The crown, outer wing feather and sub–terminal tail band are black and the wing has a brown–tipped yellow spur at the “wrist”. Both races have large yellow wattles but in the northern race this feature is larger and extends both above and behind the eye. The south–eastern race has a broad black stripe going down the back of the neck and a wide black patch on its shoulders. Intermediate forms are known, especially where the range of the races overlap.
Self introduced from Australia to Southland in the 1930’s the Spur-winged Plover is now found throughout New Zealand in open country pastures, wetland margins and estuaries.
This noisy large plover has a black crown, hind neck and shoulders in front of the bend of the wing. The back and wings are brown with a dark trailing edge to the wings, the rump is white and the tail is tipped black. The under parts are white and the legs and feet are reddish. The bill is yellow and the bird has a yellow facial patch and prominent wattles. The call is a loud staccato rattle ‘kerr-kick-ki-ki-ki’.
The eat earthworms and insects and their larvae, crustaceans and molluscs and also seeds and leaves.
Breeding is between June and late November with the peak in August. Several clutches are laid each year. The nest is a scrape in the ground, unlined or scantily lined situated in rough open pasture, a flat wet area or on stony ground. The clutch of 1 – 4 khaki eggs with brownish, black blotches is incubated by both sexes for 30 31 days. The fledging period is 7 – 8 weeks.