Listen to the New Zealand dotterel
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the New Zealand dotterel
The New Zealand dotterel is a bird in the family Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “critically endangered”. Adults have a wingspan of about 48 cm and weigh around 110 g.
What does the New Zealand dotterel sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
The recordings here are labelled as nz-dotterel-song. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The New Zealand dotterel (Anarhynchus obscurus, synonym: Charadrius obscurus) is a species of shorebird found only in certain areas of New Zealand. It is also called the New Zealand plover or red-breasted plover, and its Māori names include tūturiwhatu, pukunui, and kūkuruatu.
There are two subspecies. The southern subspecies is critically endangered and was nearing extinction with about 70 individuals remaining in 1992. Conservation measures increased this nearly 300 by 2010, but a further decline has occurred to an estimated 101 individuals in 2024.
Related birds in the genus Charadrius
More from the family Charadriidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a New Zealand dotterel sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the New Zealand dotterel on this page, including its nz-dotterel-song. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the New Zealand dotterel endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the New Zealand dotterel as “critically endangered”.
What family does the New Zealand dotterel belong to?
The New Zealand dotterel (Charadrius obscurus) belongs to the family Charadriidae in the order Charadriiformes.
Sources & credits
- Nz-dotterel-song – CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q636452 – CC0
- Wikipedia: New Zealand dotterel – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Original: Karthicss ; this edit: MPF – CC BY-SA 4.0