New: Omaha Shorebird Sanctuary - A Place Worth Protecting
Welcome to the Omaha Shorebird Protection Trust website
Omaha Spit is located on the east coast of the North Island, about 60 km north of Auckland. The spit forms a barrier between the open sea and Whangateau Harbour, a relatively unspoilt tidal estuary.
The area is important for a range of native shorebirds, which feed on the estuary at low tide. Some of them, such as the threatened New Zealand dotterel and the variable oystercatcher, nest on Omaha Spit in significant numbers.
Development at Omaha over the past 20 years has put increasing pressure on these birds, particularly the species that breed at the northern tip of the spit. During this time, protection of the birds has been undertaken or supported by a range of agencies, and by members of the local community.
With the formation in 2009 of the Omaha Shorebird Protection Trust, the community is taking the lead in protecting Omaha’s shorebirds.
What we're about video: Omaha Spit a Rare and Special Place
News Autumn 2015
A record breeding season for NZ dotterel chicks at Omaha with at least 8 and as many as 13 chicks fledged! The success of the 2014/15 NZ dotterel breeding season has shown the value of the pest proof fence and the on-going work of volunteer trapping and monitoring activities on Omaha Spit. Predator trapping had been taking place for several years prior to the installation of the pest proof fence and trapping continues on both sides of the fence.
