What have a threatened New Zealand bird species and a hard rock gold mine got in common?

	Above: An adult New Zealand dotterel at the waste disposal area.
	Above: A dotterel chick.

The New Zealand dotterel is a threatened (Category B) species endemic to New Zealand. The population consists of two small groups, one in the North Island and the other on Stewart Island. The total population is less than 1500 individuals. The preferred environment of these birds is sandy beaches, usually near river mouths where food is plentiful. Dotterels eat a wide variety of food, most of which is found in the intertidal area.

The small numbers of New Zealand dotterel is due to several factors, but in particular, introduced predators such as cats, stoats and ferrets. Because their nesting areas are popular with beach goers, many dotterel nests also get trampled by people, dogs, and trail bikes.

New Zealand Dotterels & the Tailings Storage Facilities

New Zealand dotterels have been attracted to the Newmont Waihi Gold's tailings storage facilities to nest and for several years, while there were large open spaces of waste rock on the first embankment, nesting pairs were found. Nests in active construction zones have had eggs removed by specialists in the field and put into incubation with other New Zealand dotterel eggs at the Auckland Zoo as part of the captive breeding programme.

The birds discontinued nesting as rehabilitation from waste rock to pasture progressed. Newmont Waihi Gold has now formed a partnership with the Department of Conservation in an effort to improve NZ Dotterel breeding survival rates at other localities around the Coromandel Peninsula, especially at Opoutere Beach. The company is providing financial assistance and environmental and technical expertise. The programme should help to ensure the long term preservation of the species.

The Broken Wing Act

If a predator comes too close to a dotterel nest the sitting adult will try to draw the predator away from the nest by feigning a broken wing. Once the predator is some distance from the nest, the dotterel will fly back to sit on the eggs.

Above: The broken wing act.	Above: Dotterel eggs.