Shore Plover

Charadrius novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

Shore Plover, Charadrius novaeseelandiae, is a New Zealand plover now confined to a few offshore islands. It was once widespread along the country’s coasts, but mainland birds disappeared by the 1870s. The species is among the rarest shorebirds in the world, with a global total of about 250. It nests in sheltered places, including under driftwood and vegetation, or in burrows beneath boulders. A distinctive feature is the white band that runs around the head below the brown cap, along with bright orange-red legs and bill.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Charadriidae — Plovers

Breeding range

Australasia: South East I. (=Rangatira, Chatham Is., e of South I.); reintroduced to New Zealand satellites