Thread: Stewart Island deer pose threat to critically endangered southern dotterel

https://vimeo.com/62571465?ref=em-share

Whitetail deer have been known to eat bird eggs and there have been documented cases in USA of them eating birds as well. I am aware of one incident on Stewart Island where a fledgling muttonbird was found in a deer paunch some forty year ago.
There are so many things wrong about the Southland Times report claiming deer pose a threat to dotterels. These birds nest on the open herb fields above the bushline on Tin Range. Mr Bull was certainly ‘fortunate’ to be able to observe a whitetail deer eating a fledgling. First to be in the nesting area and then to see a deer eating a bird.
This footage has not ‘just surfaced’ it has been on the internet for six years and was filmed in 2013. DoC have had cameras on nesting sites since that time and no other footage of deer predation has been found. In recent years DOC have been shooting whitetail found in the nesting area. It would be interesting to know how many deer they have shot there. DOC have been forced to take this action as deer numbers in this alpine area are so low, no hunters actually hunt there.
Remember the reason Kakapo were shifted from the southern part of the Island to Codfish Island. It had nothing to do with deer, it was predation by cats. Cats and rats will also be the villain with the dotterels but you can also add predatory birds such as harrier hawks, skua and gulls. Dotterel nests in these alpine areas are easy pickings for aerial predators. Will the trail camera footage of the harrier Hawk killing three fledgling dotterels at the nesting site that was captured in November 2019 feature on the internet? Probably not. A deer eats one egg six years ago and poses a threat to a critically endangered species but a hawk killing three juvenile birds do not rate a mention in the same article.

Originally Posted by wtd

https://vimeo.com/62571465?ref=em-share

Whitetail deer have been known to eat bird eggs and there have been documented cases in USA of them eating birds as well. I am aware of one incident on Stewart Island where a fledgling muttonbird was found in a deer paunch some forty year ago.
There are so many things wrong about the Southland Times report claiming deer pose a threat to dotterels. These birds nest on the open herb fields above the bushline on Tin Range. Mr Bull was certainly ‘fortunate’ to be able to observe a whitetail deer eating a fledgling. First to be in the nesting area and then to see a deer eating a bird.
This footage has not ‘just surfaced’ it has been on the internet for six years and was filmed in 2013. DoC have had cameras on nesting sites since that time and no other footage of deer predation has been found. In recent years DOC have been shooting whitetail found in the nesting area. It would be interesting to know how many deer they have shot there. DOC have been forced to take this action as deer numbers in this alpine area are so low, no hunters actually hunt there.
Remember the reason Kakapo were shifted from the southern part of the Island to Codfish Island. It had nothing to do with deer, it was predation by cats. Cats and rats will also be the villain with the dotterels but you can also add predatory birds such as harrier hawks, skua and gulls. Dotterel nests in these alpine areas are easy pickings for aerial predators. Will the trail camera footage of the harrier Hawk killing three fledgling dotterels at the nesting site that was captured in November 2019 feature on the internet? Probably not. A deer eats one egg six years ago and poses a threat to a critically endangered species but a hawk killing three juvenile birds do not rate a mention in the same article.

In these times journalists and government departments have become sensationalist and selective. If it doesn’t fit their narrative then they omit.

Originally Posted by wtd

. It would be interesting to know how many deer they have shot there. DOC have been forced to take this action as deer numbers in this alpine area are so low, no hunters actually hunt there.

Will the trail camera footage of the harrier Hawk killing three fledgling dotterels at the nesting site that was captured in November 2019 feature on the internet? Probably not. A deer eats one egg six years ago and poses a threat to a critically endangered species but a hawk killing three juvenile birds do not rate a mention in the same article.

I can inquire as to numbers, may not be exact but would be a good indication.

Interesting about the harrier, have seen them over at masons cruising the dunes most trips there.