Birds New Zealand

Birds New Zealand – Ambitious nationwide project for the wonder of birds

Locals are contributing to an ambitious nationwide science project that celebrates the “wonder and joy” of birds, says Anita Spencer, Canterbury and West Coast Regional Representative of Birds New Zealand.

The Bird Atlas Scheme is designed to collate accurate information on bird numbers and species over many decades. The project is overseen by the country’s ornithological society, also known as Birds New Zealand, in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (of the famous New York university). 

“It’s a phenomenal effort that members of the society are putting in, because not everywhere is as easy to get to as the estuary,” says Spencer. “People are driving off to the Canterbury Plains and standing at crossroads and counting field birds, or tramping to get everywhere.” 

“It’s incredible considering that our region includes so much of the Southern Alps,” she says.

The atlas project divides a map of New Zealand into 10-kilometre squares, within which an organisation or individual can choose to collect data. To date, at least one bird count per atlas square has been logged for 96% of the Canterbury and West Coast. 

“No drones are used for the project, just human eye-balls and ears,” laughs Spencer.

Each nationwide count is completed within a 5 year period and future counts are expected to occur every 20 years. 

“We are a very scientific organisation,” says Spencer. “Everything is done so we get really useful information.”

Organisations such as the Department of Conservation assist the project by gathering data in more remote places.

Coastal seabirds are included in the nationwide survey along with freshwater birds. Nocturnal bird species are also counted; campers and trampers are enlisted for the task. 

“You need people who might be, for example, camping somewhere, who can listen for 10 minutes and hear if there are any morepork or kiwi calling,” says Spencer. 

All records that contribute to the atlas project are scrutinised by a bird expert. Cornell bird lab’s mobile app eBird is available to assist people with bird identification and recording data. People are also encouraged to note observations while out in the field, such as whether birds are nesting. 

Results will be published in scientific journals and then in book form. The cumulative data from the atlas project will show how our threatened bird species are faring: whether their distribution is increasing or not, and the effects of habitat loss and the encroachment of exotic species such as Myna birds. 

Two sets of nationwide data have been compiled in the atlas to date.

Atlas details here.

 

(Feb 2024)