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Story: Bird migration

South Island pied oystercatcher and godwits

South Island pied oystercatcher and godwits

Most South Island pied oystercatchers (seen at front) breed in the South Island, then fly to feeding sites, particularly Kaipara Harbour, Manukau Harbour and the Firth of Thames. They use similar sites to godwits (back), which depart north towards the Arctic to breed around the time the oystercatchers arrive from the south.

Using this item

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10030926

by Dick Veitch

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How to cite this page

Christina Troup, Bird migration – Migration within New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7231/south-island-pied-oystercatcher-and-godwits (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Christina Troup, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

Emily Eales
26 August 2010
recently drove the coastline of Firth of Thames and would like to know the name a bird we saw. Black body with white wings and back. Very striking .. the wings look like a white cape when not in flight. Have searched the internet with no luck. Thanks