Join us on the 17th to go birding in New Zealand with Dixie Sommers! New Zealand’s geologic and human history have yielded a unique set of birds. The islands are far from other land masses, were created by tectonic and volcanic processes, occupied by humans relatively recently, and are, of course, islands. All these factors encourage evolution of endemic plants and animals, including many endemic birds: five kiwi species, two endemic penguins, the odd-looking Wrybill, the ubiquitous Tūī, the South Island Takahē —the world’s largest extant rail—and many more.
There are also many migratory seabirds as well as introduced species, including some familiar to Virginia birders.
Dixie will introduce us to New Zealand’s birds, its
conservation challenges and successes, and its beautiful land and seascapes. She visited in November 2022, exploring the North and South Islands as well as Stewart Island, on a tour with Field Guides Birding Tours, as well as spending a week around Auckland before the tour.