Photo: Bird Species Of New Zealand Spur Winged Plover Pied Oystercatcher South Island

Two birds native to New Zealand, the Spur-Winged Plover, and the Pied Oystercatcher, forage at the water's edge in an estuary near Hinahina, which is along the popular Southern Scenic Route on the east coast of the South Island in New Zealand.

Both of these birds are native to New Zealand and are both waders, meaning they forage for food in and around the coastlines. In this photograph these two birds are looking together but are not bothered by each other and are each looking for their own food.

The Spur-winged Plover, often called the Masked Lapwing, is in the foreground, and spends most of its time on the ground, not in the air, as it is mostly looking for food such as insects and worms. The bird is known by the several distinctive calls it has. It is also recognizable by its quite vibrant yellow beak, as well as its white neck.

The South Island Pied Oystercatcher, behind the Spur-winged Plover in the photograph, does actually not eat that many oysters. Mostly they eat molluscs as they have that long bill which can pry the shell apart and eat the food inside. ... continue below the picture...

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... It is mostly found on sandy coastlines, where oysters are not found, looking for food, and just like the Spur-winged Plover, it also doesn't spend a lot of time in the air.

Both of these birds are easily recognizable and obviously don't mind spending time with each other looking for food together.

Spur-winged Plover, Vanellus miles novaehollandiae, and a South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus finschi, in an estuary near Hinahina along the Southern Scenic Route, Catlin's Highway, Catlins, Otago, East Coast, South Island, New Zealand.