A Bird's-Eye View of New Zealand on World Migratory Bird Day

World Migratory Bird Day, celebrated on 10 October 2026, highlights the importance of migratory birds and the habitats they depend upon throughout their journeys. New Zealand forms part of a major migratory route linking Arctic breeding grounds with coastal habitats in Asia and Oceania. Every year, migratory shorebirds, including the bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), travel thousands of kilometres to reach New Zealand's estuaries, wetlands, and coastal feeding grounds.

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites on 5 August 2026, shows New Zealand's coastline clearly visible between extensive cloud systems over the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Snow stands out in bright white along the Southern Alps, while green and brown tones mark lower-lying terrain. Turquoise waters are visible along coastal areas and shallow bays.

Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite data support wide-area monitoring of islands, land, oceans, and the atmosphere, contributing to environmental monitoring, weather-related applications, and the observation of seasonal changes.