Skip to main content

Story: Bird migration

The Firth of Thames

Image
The Firth of Thames

One of the most important feeding grounds for waders is on the Firth of Thames, south-east of Auckland. Classified as an internationally important coastal wetland under the Ramsar Convention, the site is part of the East Asian–Australasian Shorebird Site Network. Twenty-four species of wader and 60 bird species have been recorded here, and there can be up to 40,000 birds at one time. The extensive shell banks provide sheltered roost sites when the tide is too high for waders to feed.

Using this item

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10031470

by Dick Veitch

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Christina Troup, Bird migration – International arrivals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7214/the-firth-of-thames (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Christina Troup, published 2 March 2009.