A plan is being hatched at one of the country’s busiest international airports to help protect endangered native birds after they started nesting on grass next to busy plane taxiways.
Since the start of September, the New Zealand dotterel (tūturiwhatu) have begun taking up their annual residence at Auckland Airport, creating nests alongside the paths of giant planes.

Currently, four pairs of dotterels have been spotted, with more expected to arrive before Christmas.
“Our airfield is predator-free, with high fencing right around the perimeter which does a great job of keeping out stray cats, dogs and other pests. This is very attractive to nesting dotterels,” said Auckland Airport wildlife manager Lucy Hawley.