Wrybill
Anarhynchus frontalis
The Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis) is a rare plovers and lapwing found only in New Zealand, weighing about 58 g. The wrybill or wrybill plover is a species of plover endemic to New Zealand.
About the Wrybill
The wrybill or wrybill plover 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. A 2015 study found it to be within the Charadrius clade, with other New Zealand plovers its closest relatives; the nearest being the New Zealand dotterel or New Zealand plover, and then the double-banded plover or banded dotterel.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The wrybill is a small, plump plover, measuring 20 to 21 cm (7.9–8.3 in) in length and weighing between 43 and 71 g (1.5–2.5 oz). The plumage is slightly sexually dimorphic. The male has a white forehead and pale grey crown, nape, back, wings and tail and a white throat, breast, belly and rump, with a thin black band across the breast. This band is thinner in the female, and much less distinct in both sexes in the non-breeding season. The other difference between the sexes is a small black bar between the white forehead and the grey crown, which is present in the males but not the females.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Wrybill can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Wrybill?
- The wrybill is a small, plump plover, measuring 20 to 21 cm (7.9–8.3 in) in length and weighing between 43 and 71 g (1.5–2.5 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Wrybill?
- The Wrybill is a small sized bird weighing about 58 g.
- Where can you see a Wrybill?
- The Wrybill is endemic to New Zealand, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Wrybill?
- The Wrybill is most easily confused with the Senegal Lapwing, the Black-winged Lapwing and the Tawny-throated Dotterel.
- Is the Wrybill endangered?
- The Wrybill is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Wrybill for real
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