Film on migratory wading birds

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33803, 27 March 1975, Page 4

Film on migratory wading birds

The third programme i the National Film Units nai ural history series "Land < Birds" is entitled “Intern: Migrants”. it will b screened on Sundav aftei noon. Each autumn, hundreds i thousands of migratory wav ing birds leave N'-vv Zealan for summer nesting ground of the Arctic Circle — up t 10.000 miles away. Lei behind are the native wadm birds — some of which stii have the migratory urge, bu are content to migrate with in their homeland. These local migrants trav el only a short distance, ti spend the summer nesting ii the South Island, afte which they return to winte habitat on estuaries of th< north. Together with other wad ing birds, the vast flock follows the outgoing tide, a: it uncovers the rich unseel life of the mudflats — thei main source of food. Gradu ally the incoming tide nour ishes this vital link in the food chain of sea life, ant finally pushes- the birds tr roost, on the highest point: of shellbank, or shore. As the tide reaches it; peak, the roosts often be come completely submerged The birds are then forcei into the air, to find refug'

in: elsewhere. The in,<-s i-il ;i |. flocks then nave! by theii . own established ■ r routes. 1 to emergency landing area,:l' If an airport is nearby be these uncontrolled buds , r . often create a hazaid to an craft Io reduce the dangei •if bird-strikes. AucklandInternational Aiiport. em ploy ed a bird ranger w It" has since pi meeted a novel i ll ' but effective way ut coping ' 10 with the problem. -Il |]o Ihe programme presents this conflict, from the birds 1 ' point of view and shows 1 how — with the right sort ' of encouragement, wading ' birds can be kept clear oi 1 v- runways. 1,1 The most common internal 111 migrant is the Pied Oyster- 1 er catcher. Usually found to ; er nest in high country river- 1 lie beds, this versatile feeder/ has now adapted to the I d- farming scene, and has < ks adjusted his diet accordingly ' as — to feed on grass grubs. < jit As a result this rural Oyiir|stercatcher is now the farm- r u- ers' friend — and is there-jl r- fore given special treatment. ' te Also featured is the I id unique Wrybill Plover. Found t to only in New Zealand, the < ts Wrybill has an odd claim to fame: it is the only bird in ts the world with a lateral e '_ twist to its bill. d Filmed for the first time,. af j its underwater feeding tech ! 'p.nique reveals this bill to be j ’ more of a special design! than an accident of nature. Sir Robert Falla searches] for the Wrybill, and wit-j nesses its secretive nesting behaviour.