Miranda Naturalists' Trust - Birds at Miranda

Birds At Miranda

Worldwide 214 species of shorebirds are recognized. Of these, 41 have been recorded at Miranda. Birds, that can be regularly seen at Miranda are:

• Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis). Wrybills are endemic to NZ. They breed on the South Island on the mid-Canterbury braided riverbeds. After breeding most birds fly to the North Island. In winter 2000 or 40% of the population of these plovers stay at Miranda.
• Banded Dotterel (Charadrius bicinctus). Banded dotterels only breed in New Zealand. Strongholds of the species are on the South Island. Part of the population migrates to Australia, and another part migrates to the North Island. Of the New Zealand winter population of about 7,400, Miranda holds about 150 in winter.
• New Zealand Dotterel (Charadrius obscurus). These plovers, that can only be found in New Zealand, breed at Miranda and can be found in small numbers most of the year.

• Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica). Only in the last years it has become clear that the godwits that migrate to New Zealand mainly come from Alaska. They belong to the subspecies baueri, that migrates to Australasia (especially New Zealand estuaries) In summer approximately 88,000 godwits stay in New Zealand, and 10,000 – 15,000 stay at Miranda. Research with small radio transmitters has shown that the birds follow a route via China when they migrate north, making the Yellow Sea a vital stepping stone. During their migration south, in September, the godwits often fly non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand! A lot of recent research concerning godwits is done at the Miranda Shorebird Centre. In 2009 a monography on Godwits was published, written by Keith Woodley, manager of Miranda Shorebird Centre.
• South Island Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). It breeds on the South Island, and migrates to estuaries of the North Island. Large flocks can be found at Miranda. The New Zealand winter population is thought to be 80,000. Of these 15,000 – 20,000 birds stay in the Firth of Thames in winter. They have the nickname “SIPO”.
• Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor). This oystercatcher is another New Zealand bird that breeds at Miranda.
• Lesser Knot or Red Knot (Calidris minutus). These arctic migrants flock together with the Godwits on the high-water roosts between September and April. The New Zealand summer population is approximately 55,000, of which Miranda has 7,000 – 10,000 birds.
• Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea). This breeding bird of Siberia may be seen in small numbers in summer.
• Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata). This is also a breeding bird in Siberia that visits Miranda in small numbers.
• Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). An arctic and subarctic breeding bird, visiting Miranda in small groups.
• Pied Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). Of the New Zealand winter population of 18,000 birds, between 6,000 and 10,000 can be found at Miranda.
• Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia).
• Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia).

Knots arrive in New Zealand in early September, followed by Godwits in about the third week of September. The biggest influx occurs during October and November. Godwits and Knots depart usually between mid-March and early-April. Knot numbers at Miranda gradually decline until only an over-wintering flock of about 500 birds remains.