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A survey of Banded Dotterel on Adams, Enderby, Ewing, Rose and part of the main Auckland Island was made in November 1989. Nesting was recorded for the first time on Enderby Island (8 nests) and 11 nests were found on Adams Island. The behaviour of dotterels on both islands indicated the presence of many more nests. Some dotterels moved at night from fellfield and moorland breeding grounds to the beaches of Adams, Rose and Ewing Islands. A total of 730 birds was counted, most on Enderby Island (440) and Adams Island (273). Previously, the total was considered to be 100-200 birds. Our high count is probably the result of an increase in breeding habitat following drastic vegetation modification by fire and introduced mammals on Enderby Island during the 19th century. The population has probably been rising for at least 20 years, but this has been overlooked because there has been no previous opportunity to count dotterels during their breeding season, when they are sedentary.