An Australian species (hence Dotterel) which has spread in small numbers to New Zealand, this is a distinctive bird, especially in flight when
the purplish patches of the small scapulars are obvious. Its ecology and behaviour are similar to the previous species, whilst not migratory it is
obviously capable of long flights as its colonisation of New Zealand (1954) shows.
Click on the photo to return to "waders" or here for
HOMEPAGE