Every Last Bird: Birds of Te Araroa Trail
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Natural History curator Colin Miskelly walks the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail counting every last bird on the way.
Natural history of New Zealand birds
Te Papa researcher: Colin Miskelly
Natural environment curators frequently make new, and sometimes astonishing, discoveries as a result of specimens or photographs received, or via enquiries from members of the public. Examples of recent discoveries resulting in publications include a long-distance dispersal record for Chatham Island snipe, and the first record of seed-eating by the typically insectivorous rifleman.
This research outputs two blog series: Birds of the Great Walks and Birds of the Te Araroa Trail, and a paper on Birds of the Te Araroa Trail. This project also includes editing and administering the New Zealand Birds Online website.
Colin Miskelly counting pipits below the snow-capped peaks of the Hakatere Range. Photo by Gordon Miskelly and Colin Miskelly
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Aotearoa New Zealand has ten official Great Walks. Te Papa natural history curator Dr Colin Miskelly has walked (or paddled) them all and kept records of the birds that he encountered along the way.
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