Endangered endemic bird the New Zealand dotterel Maori name tuturiwhatu Charadrius obscurus on the beach Mimiwhangata, Northland New Zealand. New Zealand dotterel/tuturiwhatu Charadrius obscurus is an endangered bird species endemic to New Zealand NZ dotterels are shorebirds, usually found on sandy beaches and sandspits or feeding on tidal estuaries It was once widespread and common but there are only about 1700 birds left This serious decline in numbers is due to a combination of habitat los