A Christchurch estuary has received international recognition for its role in the life of migrating birds.
The Avon Heathcote Estuary has joined an exclusive list of wetlands called the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Network, which is home to birds such as the bar-tailed godwit.
Migratory waders and shorebirds forage in the estuary during the summer, where they put on weight before flying to Alaska.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says the wetland's new status emphasises the need to protect the habitat.
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