Wrybill
Anarhynchus frontalis
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyCharadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
- GenusAnarhynchus (Sand Plovers and Allies)
- SpeciesAnarhynchus frontalis (Wrybill)
About the Wrybill
The wrybill or wrybill plover (Anarhynchus frontalis) (Māori: ngutuparore) is a species of plover endemic to New Zealand. It is the only species of bird in the world with a beak that is bent sideways in one direction, always to the right (in the crossbills, e.g. Loxia pytyopsittacus, the tips of the upper and lower mandibles cross because they are bent sideways in opposite directions, sometimes left over right and sometimes right over left). A 2015 study found it to be within the Charadrius clade (although it is now classified in the genus Anarhynchus), with other New Zealand plovers its closest relatives; the nearest being the New Zealand dotterel or New Zealand plover (Anarhynchus obscurus), and then the double-banded plover or banded dotterel (Anarhynchus bicinctus).
It lays its eggs among the rocks along rivers and distracts intruders by pretending to be in distress and moving away from its clutch. It is rated as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Red List of Threatened Species.
French naturalists Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard described the wrybill in 1832. The wrybill is a small, plump plover... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Wrybill in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Black-fronted Tern
Chlidonias albostriatus
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
South Island Pied Oystercatcher
Haematopus finschi
Black-billed Gull
Chroicocephalus bulleri
Black Stilt
Himantopus novaezelandiae
White-headed Stilt
Himantopus leucocephalus
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Silver Gull
Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
VOC
Haematopus unicolor
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Wrybill in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Wrybill sighting in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Wrybill in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Wrybill in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park in our monthly data.