Waderbirds

Forest and Bird, Issue 266, 1 November 1992, Page 37

Waderbirds

EACH YEAR, over two million wading birds attempt a journey of over 13,000 kilometres from New Zealand and Australia to Siberia and Alaska. There they breed before returning to their feeding grounds in the southern hemisphere. Northern New Zealand is the most south-eastern point of this East Asian Australasian Flyway. And each year in February, flocks of far-eastern curlew — the largest of the world’s wading birds to make this trip — hover in the skies above Manukau Harbour, getting ready to join the flight path. Waderbirds — Odyssey of the Wetlands is an Australian-initi-ated environmental arts project which will tell the migration story, using the far-eastern curlew and its wetland habitat as its focus, to encourage a greater awareness of the crucial importance of preserving the world’s remaining wetlands. Forest and Bird, the Ornithological Society of New Zealand and the Department of Conservation are among the official supporters of the project which

will include education and scientific components. The odyssey begins with an outdoor theatre performance using fire sculptures and giant puppetry in Mangere Bridge Reserve adjacent to Manukau Harbour on 13 February before heading on to Melbourne, Western Australia, Hong Kong and Japan. The timing of each performance is scheduled to coincide as much as possible with the flight of the birds. Communities along the flyway route from Manukau Harbour, Port Phillip Bay (Victoria), Broome (Western Australia), Mia Po marshes (Hong Kong) and Kushiro (Japan) are being invited to take part. At each lo-

Le 4 cation, the story of the vast flight will start with a torchlit procession at dusk and it is expected the performances will attract audiences of up to 10,000 at each place. The final event will be staged in Japan at the international wetlands convention (Ramsar) in June next year. For more information about Waderbirds contact Sandi Morrison or Joy Foote on (09) 307-7640 or (09) 520-1921.