Map showing oystercatcher movement

Kaikoura oystercatcher enjoyed holiday in Golden Bay

This Black oystercatcher photographed at Kaikoura over the summer (2011) is three years old (banded in 2008 as a chick). In 2009 it spent it's spring, as an immature bird, at Collingwood- Golden Bay, a distance of some 350 kilometres away. Now as an adult the bird has returned to Kaikoura Peninsula, where it was banded by researcher Lindsay Rowe.
Colour banding gives detailed insights into birds' movements and shows just how inter-connected our estuaries and coastal environments are for shorebird populations.


(gy/or K12081banded KK Pen as Pull 6 Dec 2008 This bird had been on holiday at Collingwood in spring 2009)

Caspian terns- long lived wanders

Bird banding really gives an insight into the travels and age of birds around NZ. This Caspian tern sighted at the Avon-Heathcote estuary, Christchurch, was banded 19 years prior at the Invercargill estuary. Not only are many of our birds long-lived but they require a nation-wide network of estuaries over their lives. Such information has important implications for their conservation.

As a footnote Caspian tern have been recorded as reaching 30 years of age in Europe.

Long distance movement of black-billed gull

E-204136, metal on the left banded as a chick in 2004 at Bayswater on the Aparima River , Southland recovered at South Bay Kaikoura- June 2010.

Interesting to see more Southland gulls being found at Kaikoura.

Black-billed gull- a local movement

Hi all this bird was sighted next to the Avon River in central Christchurch in March 2010 and was banded almost twelve years prior on the Ashley River- about 30km north. Note birds bill and leg colour- which is highly variable for gulls.
Increasing more information is coming to hand about black-billed gull longevity. Twevle years may not be particularly old for this species.

Blogs function

Hi all -
Please note that this blog site is an informal forum for discussion and commentary about bird banding ( primarily in NZ) and not a repository of banded bird data. All banded bird data should go to the Department of Conservation who manage the national banding office- check out DOC link below for more information. Also some interesting facts about bird banding in New Zealand on this link.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/birds/bird-banding/why-band-birds/

Regards
Peter

I welcome feed back or information for this site.

Contact details -


Peter Langlands
Outdoor/ environmental writing and photography
B.Sc (Zoology) Diploma of Science (Aquatic Ecology)

H: 64 3 338 5373
M: 0274 501 916
E: langlands@xtra.co.nz

P.O.Box 2819
Christchurch Mail Centre
New Zealand