Posted on by Shaun

Pukeko Eating Dotterel Eggs

I thought I might be photographing a Northern New Zealand Dotterel defending its chick at Point England.
I thought I might be photographing a Northern New Zealand Dotterel defending its chick at Point England.
I kept shooting but could not work out where the chick was.
I kept shooting but could not work out where the chick was.
When the Pukeko pecked the ground I was worried it had caught the chick. I advanced slowly (still shooting) because I thought there could be chicks about.
When the Pukeko pecked the ground I was worried it had caught the chick. I advanced slowly (still shooting) because I thought there could be chicks about.
This is a very cropped image from a 400mm lens so I was still a long way off.
This is a very cropped image from a 400mm lens so I was still a long way off.
When I saw this flash of yellow I knew it was not eating grass. I then ran in and scared off the Pukeko.
When I saw this flash of yellow I knew it was not eating grass. I then ran in and scared off the Pukeko.
The other half of the egg was nearby.
The other half of the egg was nearby.

Of course my presence could well have distracted the NNZD but I don’t think she could defend her nest. The whole time I was observing her she was never more than a few meters from her nest. A passing cow would have been a much bigger and very common distraction for her. The Pukeko was moving with two others who stayed nearby but did not seem interested, there were no observable Pukeko chicks (or paternal behaviour from the Pukeko). The Pukeko definitely seemed to be consuming the egg for food not destroying it for territorial reasons.

Egg predation by Pukeko might explain other nest losses I have had this season.