Spur-winged plover
Spur-winged plover
Vanellus miles novaehollandiae
Spur-winged plover are a protected, self-introduced native species originally from Australia, where they are better known as the Masked Plover or Masked Lapwing. They are the largest species within the Charadriidae family, which is comprised of the plovers and lapwings. The name spur-wing comes from the yellow spurs on the carpal joint or wrist of their wings which are used for defensive purposes. The first breeding pair in New Zealand was observed at Invercargill Airport in 1932. From there they spread throughout the country, except Fiordland, appearing in the North Island in the 1970’s. They like open spaces, such as pastures, paddocks, sports fields, riverbeds, airports (where they present a risk of bird strike to aircraft) and even the tops of large flat buildings. They feed on invertebrates, seeds, molluscs and crustaceans.
The males and females look alike and pair for life. Breeding takes place between June and November. During this time a pair may produce several clutches. The nests are modest, consisting of a few scratchings out in the open lined with a thin layer of grass. One to four khaki green eggs with dark splotches are laid in each clutch. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs. They are very protective of their territory and offspring. When an intruder comes too close, a parent may put on a display, such as hopping on one leg, to divert the intruder’s attention away from the nest or chicks. Alternatively, they may resort to diving on the intruder, attacking it with their feet and/or spurs. Newly hatched chicks are able to walk and feed themselves within hours of hatching. They are effectively fully grown at 4-5 months, but may remain with their parents for up to two years.
After the breeding season, spur-winged plovers form small flocks. They are known for their noisy calls (‘keer-kik-ki-ki-ki’), shrieks and rattles, which they often emit at night, much to the annoyance of anyone trying to sleep nearby.
Backyard Bird Monitoring Data
As spur-winged plover prefer wide open spaces, it is not surprising that of the 564 garden surveys to date, only a total of 14 spur-winged plovers have been recorded among 6 garden surveys, of which three were from the same rural garden.
Spur-winged plover:
Total recorded | Average per survey where seen | Total surveys | Average per total garden surveys |
14 | 2.333 in 6 garden surveys | 564 | 0.025 |
