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Big Questions
Big Questions
What adaptations of our New Zealand Birds make them a vulnerable fauna?
What adaptations of our New Zealand Birds make them a vulnerable fauna?
Why did they develop these adaptations?
Why did they develop these adaptations?
Learn
Learn
Use the links below to research and find out about the adaptations of some of our New Zealand birds and the problem these adaptations are now causing. Use the information to fill in this adaptation chart here.
Focus Text 1: NZ Native Bird Adaptations
Focus Text 1: NZ Native Bird Adaptations
New Zealand separated from Gondwana around 65 million years ago. Due to the geographical isolation and a lack of ground-dwelling predators, our birds evolved unique characteristics. Flight was not required to escape predators, so birds such as the kiwi, takahē and (now extinct) moa adapted to these conditions by developing a large body size and loss of flight.www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1162-native-bird-adaptations
Focus Text 2: Predation of NZ Native Birds
Focus Text 2: Predation of NZ Native Birds
New Zealand native birds have been greatly affected by predation. For millions of years, they lived in an environment without natural predators. Many species developed traits like flightlessness, lack of defence behaviours, and ground-feeding and ground-dwelling behaviours. They were easy prey when humans and introduced predators arrived.www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1159-predation-of-native-birds
Supporting Texts and Information
Supporting Texts and Information
Create
Create
Design a new type of bird that would be well suited to a certain habitat in New Zealand (for example, wetland, alpine, forest or grassland). Include reasons why each adaptation has been included for the animal you have created. You could get some ideas here
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