The northern New Zealand dotterel or northern red-breasted plover (Charadrius obscurus aquilonius ) is a shorebird which breeds exclusively on beaches in New Zealand's North Island.
A bird in Charadrius, a genus of the wading birds known as plovers. The average length is 25 centimetres, the largest of the genus. The pale edged plumage at the upper side is predominantly brown, the pale or whitish ventral side is distinctly tinged with red during the breeding period. The male presents a red colour at the breast in all seasons. The legs are a midtone or pale grey, the bill is black and the iris is a dark brown colour.
The voice given in territorial displays, an extended "churring" sound, is loud and the most commonly heard.
A New Zealand endemic, which mainly breeds on the eastern coast of the North Island. Smaller nesting groups are found at the western coast.
Introduced species pose the greatest threat to the northern New Zealand dotterel. Predation, particularly by introduced cats, stoats, and hedgehogs, were responsible for the loss of 60% of nests in unmanaged areas. Recreational development, pesticide poisoning, invasion by noxious weeds, and storms pose additional threats. However, the population has been rising markedly due to conservation actions, reaching 1600 individuals in 2016.A survey following the use of brodifacoum, aerially sprayed to control pests species of rats and possums at the Tawharanui Regional Park, found the disappearance or death of half the local population followed the poisoning program. A link was found in the accumulation of the toxin in species of Talorchestia, small insects known as sandhoppers that are consumed by this plover, and analysis of a liver from a deceased specimen showed a high level of brodifacoum.
The IUCN classifies it as near threatened.
