Tuturuatu – Shore plover - Thinornis novaeseelandiae
Photographed on the shores of Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury where it was hanging out with wrybills.
A small species (20 cm in length, 60g) of Plover endemic to New Zealand. It is an endangered species with a world population of around 200 birds. It once was found across the South Island in New Zealand but became extinct there, probably due to the predations of introduced cats and rats. It survived on one island, Rangatira, in the Chatham Islands, from where it has been introduced to other offshore islands in the Chathams and Motuora Island (Hauraki Gulf) and near Mahia (Hawkes Bay). A number of captive-reared juvenile Tuturautu were moved to Mana Island, off Wellington's westcoast, between March and May 2007, as part of a Department of Conservation plan to ensure their long-term survival. This bird is part of that flock but a long wasy from home!
Tuturuatu – Shore plover - Thinornis novaeseelandiae
Photographed on the shores of Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury where it was hanging out with wrybills.
A small species (20 cm in length, 60g) of Plover endemic to New Zealand. It is an endangered species with a world population of around 200 birds. It once was found across the South Island in New Zealand but became extinct there, probably due to the predations of introduced cats and rats. It survived on one island, Rangatira, in the Chatham Islands, from where it has been introduced to other offshore islands in the Chathams and Motuora Island (Hauraki Gulf) and near Mahia (Hawkes Bay). A number of captive-reared juvenile Tuturautu were moved to Mana Island, off Wellington's westcoast, between March and May 2007, as part of a Department of Conservation plan to ensure their long-term survival. This bird is part of that flock but a long wasy from home!