NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

BIRD WITH A 3IYSTEB#

THE BANDED DOTTEREL;

(By R. H. D. Stidolph.) New Zealand possesses few short birds, and several of these are comparatively scarce, although one speci^si an attractive and charming little bird, khdw.n as the'banded dotterel, is comiinon and widely distributed. It is prpbably better known than is generally supposed, even if observers are not conversant with its popular vernacular name. Often is the patient fisherman entertained by its constant • "pwitpwit" notes as it runs in short laps across the stones of the river-bed. It has its upper surface a greyish brown colour while the white uriderparts are ornamented on the breast with two very distinct bands, one of chestnut" and the other of black. In size it i»about that of the imported song thrush; • Although the banded dotterel is sa common in New Zealand it was first discovered in New South Wales abput 1827, and from the records available'it was not noted in New Zealand until about 1845. It has also been recorded from the Chatham Islands and Stewart Island.. , • . ■' . ■•;•"■ . • ■".' Its distribution in Australia is one of the puzzles of the bird world today. It has been recorded in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South . Wales, and southern Queensland, arid, curiously enough, ' has > never ■ beea known to breed.in any of trose States. As a : visitor it is seen at Lord Ho\ye and Norfolk Islands/ The only-known breeding places -are New Zealand and the Chatham. Islands. \ In view of this' eyidence.it has been suspected thafit may migrate! from "New Zealand to Australia and back again, but. there is no substantial; proof of a. movement - of this kind. The. more probable explanation of the absence of any breed- • ing' records' Of this, species 'in-Ausr' tralia or Tasmania is that these have not been .discovered.-'./Itiwas only re-;.; cently that another wader,' the banded stilt, was found breeding iii* that country, and it would not be surprising if later events prove that'this" dotterel actually breeds in...Australia in some* remote aij-ea previously overlooked. There seems to be no gobiT reason why this bird should: pass .to and fro across the Tasman. ; ■ :L . The movements of the banded doV terel in New in view .of ..the' speculation caused from the above facts, are of particular .interest, arid " observers interested in this bird would do well to keep a careful look-out for it during the autumn7 and winter. There. is no doubt whatever that it is to be 1 found in New Zealand throughout the year, but it makes certain movements that are not clearly denned. During the past fifteen years the writer, has, kept' a careful record of all - occur-; rences of .the banded dotterel and -it was not until 1932 that some; light was thrown on its. movements during trie non-breeding season." ~' On March Tin: that year a flock;of-about a !hundred. was seen on a paddock at Opaki that; had lately been harvested' of its crpji of partridge peas. A week later.only a'few were present. .'Just the'other' day, when passing along the road near Middle Run, Gladstone, another; flock of about a hundred* birds was • seei\ busiiy feeding on a paddock; in which a grain; crop was just'l sprouting. This was on May. 10. -It appears that during the. autumn and! early. Winter the banded dotterel' congregates, in flocks and leads a more or. less nomadic life; visiting agricultural lands ,for food..'. 1,, .-•'■■ .•' ".- '■-.'■■ ■■ •■■■' •j' •' ■ • .■'."< ;„■ Iti the Wairafapa district" the banded dotterel breeds in. considerable "numbers, on the shingle river-beds;' .It. first makes it; appearance in. July, arid leaves again 'in. February.''" In'-the period indicated it may always be. seejy on such rivers as the Ruamahanga, Wairigawa, \ Kaiohine, and; Tauherehfkau. On two occasions only, 'on those" noted above, has this bird beens scenT in the- neighbourhood of its breeding haunts during the months from;Feb-"; ruary to July, but around the Waira-! rapa Lake and; along.the coast it'rnajr be seen practically. at' all, times' of the year... It is not confined ;'tb the; riverbeds as a breeding bird,.but.frequents paddocks adjacent to rivers, and tha : sea ; and lake shore,, where it: aisa breeds, though riot; in- such large numbers as on the river-beds.' Nests' of . this bird have been ! found! on ■Wairarapa river-beds from.September 14;t<> November 18. .< As '.in; all cases,these, contained eggs it seems that the breed-ing-season starts at the end of August or beginning of September; and extends; until theend.of Noyember. The-bird' remains on the river-beds a little longer' to .enable, the young to< develop suffl< ciently to undertake a more extended flight.;. '. ■,'.;'" '■;;;';..:.' ■v- \-'-y'\,-i ..The. banded dotterel-makes little:at-. tempt.to build ainest;; -A-. mere-hollow! or-depression in r the sand or. among the stone'sV is a sufficient" cradle to "accommodate the,eggs.-. Three eggs, usually, form a clutch,;;the' colour; generally being greenish-grey,,'thickly marked all over with' bold black''-spots^ and;., blotches.'- Sbriietimes-eggs 6f!a:morir yellowish ground colour-may' be seeh. : . and occasionally the spots and blotches,., are• comparatively'small.■'; The young are able to run alrhost as':sobn as-they are hatched, and -at. a signal from thi". parent birds ,are . adepts., in ,the .art,at' hiding. They*.:'. flatten- themselves among'the stones or. hide under the., side' of a large one, remaining perfect-, ly motionless ".arid" allowing; themselves \ to be-picked up. Contrary to the usual;belief, the young; are able to swim.> quite well.- Upon the approach of'>-a;-', human intruder.the adult-■ birds, showf. much anxiety and alarm) and are pasfc-' masters in the pretence *of injury,' ija.„■' order to lure away, the visitors', from; the vicinity, of the nest or young! Altogether the banded dotterel is-an in-, teresting arid lovable, bird. ." . -.. r