Worst season for endangered dotterels in Whangamata

Harrier hawks have had a negative impact on dotterel eggs and chicks in Whangamata. Photo / George Novak

The Whangamata Dotterel Minders group is disappointed to have had the worst season to date of survival rates for the dotterel population.

''We do a lot of work to protect them (the chicks) and then they just disappear,'' says group co-ordinator Dennis Allison.

The watchdog group for the endangered birds saw just seven chicks fledged this year. The numbers were around the same last year. Their best year saw 16 chicks fledged (fledged is when dotterel wing feathers are large enough for flight).

This year they has approximately 35-40 chicks and just seven survived, Dennis says.
''It's still around the national average, but we are always a bit disappointed.''

He puts a lot of blame with harrier hawks. Eggs and chicks are easy prey for hawks.

''The harrier hawks have had quite an impact. Without them we could have had eggs hatched earlier. Once dotterels can look after themselves, their survival is not as critical.''

Another factor is Whangamata's population growth and more visitors to the area while New Zealanders aren't travelling overseas.

''And more people around means more cats and dogs too,'' he says.

It's a more positive outcome for the overall region — Department of Conservation (DoC) Northern region is expecting a positive productivity rate for the dotterel as breeding season comes to a close in the Coromandel.

Their area includes the Coromandel Peninsula from Whiritoa north and all beaches north of Thames.

Ranger Frouk Miller expects about 140 chicks to fledge during this breeding season which began in late August until mid-March for the region.

A noticeable change this season has been the surge in visitors to the Coromandel because of Covid-19, she says.

Frouk says the increase in visitors has brought with it the higher risk of "dog versus dotterel" incidents – with chicks becoming targets for dogs.

"They can't fly for at least six weeks and they need to forage for food themselves from day one," she says.

"People are always amazed when told the adults don't feed their chicks like other birds. They're purely there to guard and teach them and keep them safe."

— Additional reporting Department of Conservation