Arctic waders wintering in New Zealand

Members of the sub-order Charadrii are the only birds to winter regularly in New Zealand. They prefer to live on inter-tidal mudflats where, particularly during late summer, they mix with New Zealand's endemic species. Some migratory species show a preference for feeding and roosting with endemic species. Distribution throughout the country is irregular. Some 160000 northern hemisphere breeding Charadrii are present and this number appears to be increasing. Approximately 95% of this total is made up of two species. Some 40 species have been recorded