The dotterel bird population in Hawke’s Bay has seen a record decline along rivers and coastlines, worrying local ecologists and officials.
The decline is being blamed on Cyclone Gabrielle, which struck the area in February last year. Surveys conducted between 2019 and 2024 along the Tukituki, Ngaruroro, and Tūtaekurī rivers showed a sharp drop in bird numbers.
Ecologist Nikki McArthur reported that banded dotterel numbers fell by 51% along the Tūtaekurī River, 20% along the Ngaruroro River, and 31% along the coast. This marks the steepest decline since surveys began in 1962. The Hawke’s Bay population of these birds has dropped from 2,800 to about 2,400, reducing the global dotterel population by an estimated 2.5%.
McArthur explained that the cyclone buried the birds’ habitats in silt, sediment, and debris, disrupting their food supply and nesting grounds. Black-fronted dotterels also saw a 30% decline, while New Zealand dotterels dropped by 36% along the coast.
To help the birds recover, McArthur suggested predator control, keeping humans and vehicles away from nesting sites, and ensuring pets are managed during the nesting season. The goal is to rebuild the population so it can better withstand future natural disasters.
