Birding Capital of New Zealand
Several locations on that far away Island nation lay claim to being the birding capital of New Zealand. Most have good cases for their claims, but Dunedin on South Island may have the best claim of them all.
Birding Capital of New Zealand
New Zealand is a paradise for bird watching and the home of some of the most dedicated birders in the world. It is a very isolated place. This is a problem for those who wish to visit it, but this isolation has contributed to the wide diversity of its bird population. New Zealand is the most isolated land mass in the world. Over 1200 miles of ocean separate it from Australia, its nearest neighbor.
The island is home to a wide variety of both flora and fauna that can be found only there. In fact, the birds of New Zealand are divided into three large groups based on diversity. They are endemic, native, and introduced. The endemic birds, and this is a large group, are found nowhere else in the world. The native birds arrived on their own or reproduce naturally. They are found outside the Islands of New Zealand. The introduced group has been brought here by the settlers.
The resort city of Dunedin which lies on the coast on South Island is not only a claimant to the title of birding capital of New Zealand, but also wild life capital of New Zealand. Wild life viewing tours based in Dunedin offer a lot of different species other than birds. Whale watching is a popular past time here. It is the bird watching that has made the area famous.
Birders have always been on the side of conservation. This is an important issue in New Zealand. The preservation of their wild life resources is very high on their agenda. The fact that it was not always the case here is illustrated by the large numbers of extinct species and rare and endangered birds on the Islands.
Most of the resorts in Dunedin that offer guided bird watching tours are very much on the side of conservation. Several have been benchmarked by Green Globe 21 for their outstanding efforts in this area. A portion of all of their proceeds is donated to conservation groups. New Zealand is a long distance away, but in our shrinking world, it is moving closer and closer. Air travel has made brought vacations there within reasonable reach. This is something that should delight any serious birder.