The Banded Dotterel

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22949, 29 January 1938, Page 10 (Supplement)

The Banded Dotterel

Attractive New Zealand Bird

ON account of its conspicuous pattern, lively habits, and confiding disposition, the banded dotterel should be one of the best-known of New Zealand birds. It frequents all types of coast except the most rocky, loves the flats of river-beds, and is also a visitor to open country in inland districts of both islands. ERRATIC FLIGHT Its sharp metallic note invariably indicates its presence—the staccato " pit, pit!" uttered as a single note at intervals, or in a rapid series. Its erratic flight may also catch the eye, but its actions on the ground are less likely to attract attention, for although a boldly-marked bird, its plumage pattern is not conspicuous against stony ground or gravel. PLUMAGE FEATURES The distinguishing features of its plumage are the bands across the breast that mark the livery of adult birds. The upper band is black and the lower

varies from chestnut to deep plumcolour. Males as a rule have bolder bands than females. Young in their first year havo no bands, and adults are temporarily without them when they moult in December after nesting. NESTING TIME For convonicnco of description wo may begin an account of the seasonal cycle of activity in the month of September. On sand-dunes near tho coast, pumico lands of the Hot Lakes district, and the shingle beds of the snowrivers, pairs of banded dotterel make their nests early in that month. With sharp, jerky runs hithor and thither, and metallic notes of alarm they indicate their concern when the chosen spot is approached by an intruder. Unless tho birds are carefully watched from a distance, however, the observer will have little chance of finding the eggs. Like thoso of most shore-birds these eggs are protectively coloured with varying patterns of spots on a dull green or greyish ground, sometimes buff. Tho three rather pear-shaped eggs lie together in a shallow depression and uro hardly distinguishable from their surroundings. ALERT YOUNG Tho chicks are also obliteratively coloured on the upper surfaces of their downy plumage. They are active and alert almost from the moment of hatching, can run with amazing speed, and seem suddenly to disappear from sight as they stop and crouch Hose to tho ground. Tho old birds feed them in this downy stage but thc.v lose no chance of searching for their own food and soon become independent. Within six weeks they have grown as largo as their parents and have assumed a plumage lacking tho double-banded pattern on the breast. As the old birds later

Specially Written for the New Zealand Herald by R- A. FALLA, M.A.

lose their bands the ages of birds seen in mid-summer ai'o not easy to deterin inc. FEEDING HABITS At this'time, December and January, the dotterel form large flocks and move about with rapid flight, wheeling and turning in tlio air in unison with a (lashing of their white under-plumago as they do so. As the tide recedes from estuaries and mud-flats these flocks coino sweeping down from the adjoining country and the birds scatter over the flats to feed 011 small marine organisms. Inland their food consists of small insects and insect larvae, and they are also known to feed 011 the berries of a small prostrato coprosma and a inuhlenbeckia. migratory movement Late in January or some time in February there is a movement northward from the nesting places in the South Island, leaving only a few birds in haunts where they were previously so abundant. The extent and nature of the migratory movement thus begun is not fully known, except that it extends

to coastal aroas in Australia from South Australia, to Southern Queensland. Mr. 15. F. Stead, who has made a fuller study of tho banded dotterel than any other New Zealand naturalist, has examined the available evidenco and tentatively outlined the route as being via the North Island to Norfolk Island (450 miles); or to Lord Howe Island (850 miles) and thence the remaining 350 miles to Australia. RETURN JOURNEY Thero seems thereafter to be a gradual spread to South Australia, and then iv roturn journey which brings most of the birds back to Now Zealand in July and August. It is difficult to confirm this theory in detail as bo many birds seom not to leave New Zealand at all, and thousands are present in tho North Island throughout the winter. The general result of observations in Australia points to tho birds being most abundant there in winter, but thero are also a few Bummer records to complicate the study. The latest is a shipboard capture about November 27 last, 150 miles 60uth of Cape Otway. INCREASE IN NUMBERS The study of this species published in Mr. Stead's " Life Histories of New Zealand Birds " contains much interesting information. It is surprising to learn that 30 years ago banded dotterel were shot for the market and that a gunner might bring in half a wheat sack full of birds at one time. Since such shooting has been made illegal, Mr. Stead considers that the specie has undoubtedly increased in numbers and gives as reasons tho fact that " it takes kindly to arable areas as breeding grounds; it is too small to be harried by the average pot-hunt-ing gunner; and it is apparently more than able to hold its own against all the natural enemies that have been introduced up to the present; so that unless the future sees tho introduction of some more potont enemy than those already here, it should contiuuo to thrive."