12x9cm. A shorebird that performs the longest nonstop flight of any non-seabird.
42209
New Zealand, Hanging Birds, Hanging NZ Sparkly Decorations
Description
The Eastern Bar-Tailed Godwit / Kuaka is an Artic migrant that over-winters in New Zealand. The fledglings migrate at the age of 4 months with the adults. One Kuaka was recorded having a 12,200km non-stop journey from Alaska to New Zealand. It took 8 days, 12 hours. Another Kuaka took 3 attempts and over 57 days to make the same journey. Every Kuaka gets a 10/10 for effort! The arrival and departure of the Kuaka is an event many New Zealanders look forward to, watching the skies for their huge flocks. The Kuaka are common around New Zealand, but they are shy. One of the best places to view the Kuaka is at Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, which is an hour from Auckland on the shores of the Firth of Thames.The total Kuaka population is estimated at less than 150,000 birds. Of which apx 80,000 migrate to New Zealand annually, with the others migrating to Australia. There is a current decline of nearly 2% annually, where the primary loss is put down to the extensive habitat loss at staging areas in the Yellow Sea region. Decline to a lesser extent is the harvesting of indigenous people in Alaska, where the Kuaka breeds. Predicted climate change creating severe weather events and loss of habitat, also assist in the decline of the Kuaka. Cyclone Gabrelle hit when the Kuaka as it was starting to fatten up for the long flight to its breeding grounds. It will not be until after September 2023 when the Kuaka arrive back to New Zealand before the extent of Cyclone Gabrelle's effect on the Kuaka is known.
The Kuaka won bird of the year in 2015. Voting is in apx October/November every year and is always an exciting and heavily competed contest.
The Kuaka sparkly decoration was introduced in 2023.
This decoration is made of fabric, sequins, beads and coloured metallic threads. It is nice and light for posting. If you need to send them internationally, we can do it for you. Handy information - The cost to send up to 10x NZ Bird sparkly decorations to the same international address is the same as sending 1x.
Questions?
You may also like
Wood Blue Tit Heart 10cm
Acrylic Fushcia Mauve Hummingbird 9cm
.jpg)
NZ Wool, Kea with Garland 11cm
.jpg)