Wellington Regional Council and local iwi have placed access restrictions on a stretch of beach to protect a nesting site of the threatened banded dotterel.
Council environmental scientist Nikki McArthur says Te Ati Awa has guardianship over the area, and have placed a temporary rahui on 1.7 kms of beach next to the Pencarrow coast road.
Rahui define an area as sacred for a period of time.
Mr McArthur says just 3% of banded dotterel nests produced chicks in the past two years.
He says the the rahui will be in place from now until February, while the birds are nesting.
Mr McArthur says the council has put up signs asking people not to walk their dogs on the beach, and to pay special attention to nests camouflaged in the sand.