We’re keeping the monthly challenge streak going, and so are excited to announce the details for the October Atlas challenge! This month we’re celebrating Spring’s arrival with a cryptic wetland species challenge!
We are lucky to have another incredible prize that has again been kindly donated by Metalbird. As always, this is a very simple challenge to qualify for, it helps gather important data and will be fun we promise!
During October one lucky Atlaser will win a Metalbird sculpture of a kōtare/sacred kingfisher simply by contributing observations of cryptic wetland species (see list below) as part of their complete checklists to the New Zealand Bird Atlas portal. Each observation of a cryptic species from the list below, as part of a complete checklist, will get your name into the hat to win the kōtare/sacred kingfisher Metalbird sculpture. As always, these checklists must include counts for every species reported (no X’s!), be submitted to the Atlas eBird portal, and follow the best practices outlined here to increase their scientific value. The winner will be randomly drawn from everyone who qualifies in mid-November.
Cryptic Species List
Each record of the below species, as part of a complete Atlas checklist with accurate abundances (no X’s) gets you an entry into the draw for the kōtare metalbird sculpture. Those species are:
- Matuku-hūrepo/Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)
- Pūweto/spotless crake (Porzana tabuensis)
- Koitareke/marsh crake (Porzana pusilla),
- Mioweka/buff-banded rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
- Mātātā/New Zealand fernbird (Poodytes punctatus)
Background
Wetlands provide vital habitat to crake species, bittern and fernbird in New Zealand and undertaking targeted monitoring using playback techniques could provide a better and more accurate understanding of the distribution of these species across the country. Species such as koitareke/marsh crake are potential indicators of wetland health due to their dependence on the presence of high quality and ecologically diverse habitats and rich food supplies (DOC 2021). However there is an urgent need to determine the distribution and relative abundance of these species nationally to better:
- identify significant habitats, sites and populations;
- protection and implementationg of conservation management;
- measure the response and effectiveness of management practices;
- and measure the health of wetlands.
Matuku hūrepo/Australasian bittern are known to utilise a network of wetlands across both islands (Williams 2018), whilst pūweto/spotless crake are rare in the South Island (Fitzgerald 2017), but there are records as far south as Invercargill. Koitareke/marsh crake have been recorded in a wide variety of inland and coastal wetland types (O’Donnell 2017), whilst mioweka/banded rail are found in coastal wetlands in mangrove and saltmarsh vegetation (Bellingham 2013). Mātātā/New Zealand fernbird are found mainly in dense, low wetland vegetation occupying drier shrubland and tussock habitat at a few sites, including in the Far North and on some islands (Miskelly 2013).
Matuku-hūrepo/Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus | © Mig Kemp | Macaulay Library
Top tips for detection
Species specific monitoring techniques are summarised below in Table 1.
Table 1: Summary table for cryptic wetland species and monitoring methods
Playback should be used as sparingly as possible to minimise any disturbance or stress to the target birds. We recommend limiting the length and frequency of playing calls by only playing calls for less than 30 secs, with long pauses between playing calls. We recommend that the use of call playback in any given location is limited to a maximum period of 3-5 minutes if the target species isn’t detected sooner. There is always a risk of de-sensitising local birds if playback is used too frequently, so we caution on overuse. Once detected, playback is then stopped, and the recorder moves to the next designated survey point. Having set points around a lagoon or wetland that are surveyed routinely throughout the breeding periods for these species can help to try detect if these species are utilising the area.
Feel free to use the recordings available for free in Merlin (which can also be used offline), or download some from NZ Birds Online. You can then link a bluetooth speaker to your phone to get better sound quality if you really want to go the extra mile.
About Metalbird:
Metalbird grew from a New Zealand Street Art Project Phil Walters started back in 2009. He created and installed cool metal bird silhouettes around his neighbourhood just for fun. People loved them, wanted them and 10 years later Metalbird has become a global art project.
With the simple tap of a hammer, this beautifully crafted, iconic, life-like bird silhouette will transform your backyard, garden or environment into a work of art and put smiles on faces for years to come.
Producing locally and ethically is important to Metalbird. Each bird is proudly cut then crafted in a small family owned NZ factory out of premium 11-Gauge Corten Steel.
Metalbird make and ship locally. Their Corten® Steel is NZ made with over 70% recycled content. On top of that, all scrap steel from their manufacturing process is recycled. Their packaging is made from recycled cardboard with biodegradable inks and their goal is to be carbon negative by 2021.
In New Zealand Metalbird are sponsoring Forest & Bird, supporting incredible work to restore native bird populations. They continue to grow primary schools’ connection to native birds with these giant Metalbirds. Around the world they’ve drawn attention to the important Godwit breeding ground in The Netherlands where they made this enormous black-tailed Godwit. They contributed a portion of sales to the Australian bushfire relief to support the communities, flora and fauna affected by the bushfires.
Whats more is if you sign up to their newsletter you can get 10% off your next order, and be the first to hear abour new bird launches, unique offers and sales events.
We are immensely grateful to Metalbird for kindly donating this beautiful kōtare sculpture for one lucky Atlaser to win. You can look at their range of birds here.
We really hope you enjoy this challenge, and please do use playback sparingly and ethically. Do keep your eyes peeled each month to learn how you can win some fantastic prizes just for Atlasing.
As always, let us know how you are getting on with the Atlas challenge, feel free to share your Atlasing adventures on social media or send us an email, we’re always keen to hear how you’re getting on.
Happy Atlasing and enjoy October Big Day!
References
Bellingham, M. 2013: Banded rail. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz Accessed 28th July 2021.
DOC 2021: Marsh crake/koitareke page. Department of Conservation Website. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/marsh-crake-koitareke/ Accessed 28th July 2021.
Fitzgerald, N. 2017: Spotless crake. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz Accessed 28th July 2021.
Miskelly, C.M. 2013. Fernbird. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz Accessed 29th July 2021.
O’Donnell, C.F.J.; Williams, E.M. 2015: Protocols for the inventory and monitoring of populations of the endangered Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) in New Zealand. DOC Technical Series 38. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 44p.
O’Donnell, C.F.J. 2017: Marsh crake. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz Accessed 28th July 2021.
Williams, E. 2018: Australasian bittern. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz Accessed 28th July 2021.