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Story: Bird migration

Eastern bar-tailed godwit

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Eastern bar-tailed godwit

Adult bar-tailed godwits arrive in New Zealand from late September to early October. After their 11,000-kilometre journey they are thin from fasting and from the enormous expenditure of energy. Worn, frayed flight feathers can be seen in this photo. By February they have fattened up and replaced their feathers with red breeding plumage, and by March or early April they are ready to leave.

Using this item

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10030915

by Dick Veitch

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How to cite this page

Christina Troup, Bird migration – Preparation for the journey, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7236/eastern-bar-tailed-godwit (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Christina Troup, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

jakmai
12 July 2010
about 20 godwits just turned up in Kawhia 10 minutes ago,11.50 am Monday 12th June 2010