A New Zealand dotteral feeding on the tidal flats at Awarua Bay.

The New Zealand Dotterel (Charadrius obscurus), or Tuturiwhatu (Maori), is an endangered species and it is found only in certain areas of New Zealand. The population consists of two small groups; one in the North Island and the other on Stewart Island and the total population is less than 1500 individuals. The preferred environment of these birds is sandy beaches, usually near river mouths where food is plentiful. Dotterels eat a wide variety of food, most of which is found in the intertidal area. They are well camouflaged in the sandy environment, often hearing their distinctive "chip-chip" call before seeing them.

Awarua Bay is part of a large area of lagoon and expansive wetlands to the east of Bluff accessed via the Tiwai peninsula on the south coast of New Zealand. The Bay is a hotspot for birdlife and is visited frequently by many different trans-equatorial migrating and wading bird species, as well as a home for other various birds, plants,insects and marine life.