We were surprised to see so many of this iconic endemic shorebird. Wrybill is unique in having a laterally curved bill, always curved to the right. This unusual bill is apparently an adaptation for extracting mayfly larva from under rocks in rapidly moving rocky streams. This species breeds only in the interior of the South Island and migrates to harbors and bays on the North Island. Numbers appear to be declining and the species is listed as vulnerable. It is the only member of the genus Anarhynchus which means "backwards bill." Despite it's strange bill, this species is believed to be related to the Double-banded Plover (Charadrius bicinctus). Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LX5 | Nikon FS 3 | 30XWA | hand-held, no adapter.
References:
Dowding, J.E. 2013. Wrybill. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
Marchant, S.; Higgins, P.J. (eds) 1993. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Vol. 2, raptors to lapwings. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Wiersma, P. & Kirwan, G.M. (2017). Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53856 on 25 March 2017).