Wetland birds on 11 rivers of the Upper Waitaki Basin, South Island, New Zealand were surveyed annually between 1991 – 1994. Diversity, minimum abundance and density of birds were compared. In total 26 species of wetland birds were recorded. Minimum estimated river bird numbers were: 3566 Black-backed Gulls (Larus dominicanus), 3302 Black-fronted Terns (Sterna albostriata), 3260 Banded Dotterels (Charadrius bicinctus), 793 Black-billed Gulls (Larus bulleri), 789 Wrybills (Anarhynchus frontalis), 788 South Island Pied Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), 421 Pied Stilts (Himantopus himantopus), 85 Black Stilts (Himantopus novaezelandiae), 51 Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia), and 3680 waterfowl and cormorants. Densities of birds ranged from 0.17 birds ha-1 on the Pukaki River to 0.95 birds ha-1 on the Lower Ohau River. The Cass, Lower Ohau, Godley, Tekapo and Ahuriri Rivers had higher densities of one or more species than the Upper Ohau and/or Pukaki Rivers. Densities of Black-fronted Terns, Black Stilts, Pied Stilts and Caspian Terns were negatively correlated with altitude, and in general birds preferred river sections with low or moderate flows, and low or moderate vegetation cover. Eight of the 11 rivers surveyed had more than 1% of estimated total populations of one or more of three globally vulnerable or endangered species, and in combination rivers of the Upper Waitaki Basin support almost all known Black Stilts, 15% of all Wrybills and 32% of all Black-fronted Terns. We suggest that the Upper Waitaki Basin may now provide half of all remaining suitable braided river bird habitat in New Zealand.
The establishment since 1984 of small of Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli) on four predator-free islands has been an important component of the conservation strategy for the birds. However, initial productivity of birds in these habitats has been lower than expected due largely to low hatching success of early clutches. This study aims to describe behaviour associated with courtship, incubation and post-hatch care to assess possible behavioural causes of low productivity in Takahe on islands. No unusual behaviour associated with breeding was observed that might result in low productivity, although only two complete copulations were observed during the study. One incomplete copulation involving a yearling male was also observed. Territorial behaviour was recorded to compare with later years when densities of island populations increase. Six territorial interactions between neighbouring pairs were observed, three when pairs were between nesting attempts and ranging widely, and three when two pairs nested in close proximity. Monitoring of aggressive behaviour may be important as it may interfere with successful reproduction.
In 1960, a census of the Spotted Shag (Stictocarbo punctatus punctatus) population on Banks Peninsula found 9,787 breeding pairs (Turbott & Bell 1995). Here we report the results of a comparative census conducted on Banks Peninsula during the 1996 breeding season. Thirty-six years after the original census, the number of breeding pairs was found to have more than doubled to 22,123 pairs. We speculate that the population was formerly limited by food availability and that a reduction in fishing effort around Banks Peninsula, especially in the late 1980s, may have contributed to the observed growth in the shag breeding population.
During 1995, participants in the Beach Patrol Scheme patrolled 3,498 km of the New Zealand coastline. There were 7,625 dead seabirds of 55 species recovered by patrollers. In addition, beach patrollers found 156 birds of 28 non-seabird species. Unusual finds were the third specimen of a beach-wrecked Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel) in New Zealand and five Kermadec Petrels (Pterodroma neglecta). Australasian Gannets (Morus serrator) wrecked in larger numbers than in any year since the start of the Beach Patrol Scheme. There were 648 birds recovered at an average rate of 22.2 birds per 100 km. A large wreck of Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) occurred on Stewart Island in May 1995. Causes of seabird mortality are discussed in the paper.
The rare reversed sexual bill dimorphism of the extinct New Zealand endemic bird species, the Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris: Callaeidae) occurs in two Australian riflebird (Ptiloris) and three New Guinea sicklebill (Epimachus [Drepanornis]) birds of paradise (Paradisaeidae). While less extreme than that of the Huia, the female bill length proportionate to tarsus length is 7-18% longer than in males. In this proportionate bill length, females are longer-billed than males in most typical (polygynous) birds of paradise. More marked examples of reversed sexual hill dimorphism in the Paradisaeidae occur in species with greater proportions of wood-dwelling arthropods in their diets. Ecological studies of these species might provide insights into the way Huia lived and how their bill dimorphism evolved.