National Wader Count

The distribution and abundance of wading birds has been studied in New Zealand since the formation of OSNZ. At selected sites such as Firth of Thames and Manukau Harbour, annual locality counts provided a census of wader flocks both in summer and winter.

In 1983, it was decided to extend these counts to all the major estuaries and harbours in New Zealand. Flocks of waders were counted annually in November and June. This provided information on the numbers of Arctic migrants that summered in New Zealand and how many remained over the winter. It also enabled counts of New Zealand waders that formed flocks in the winter, e.g. South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Wrybill and Pied Stilts. The national wader counts were conducted at all sites until 1996.

Today, the counts are continuing at a selection of key sites to monitor long-term trends in the wader populations.

Results of wader surveys have been published in Southern Bird and full reviews will be published in Notornis.

OSNZ Arctic wader colour-banding project - click here for more information

Age-ratio scans on Bar-tailed godwit - click here for more information

Click below to download reports.