Swift accused of endangering birds while filming music video

Shipstead has written about the incident in a story headlined, “I’m sorry, Taylor Swift: My one tweet set off a worldwide search for a “missing” pop star from Los Angeles to New Zealand” on Salon.com.

But the production company at helm of the Swift’s music video, Cherokee Films, issued a statement in defense of Swift, claiming that Swift herself had nothing to do with the filming plans and was unaware of the situation.

Conservationists accused Swift of endangering baby dotterel birds while filming near Auckland but Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed) said Swift’s film crew was not near the dotterel site.

Coney also posted her frustration on her Facebook page saying that they are trying their best to limit the use of vehicles in the restricted area to protect the baby dotterels, but Taylor failed to respect that.

“Taylor Swift and her management team were in no way at fault and did not do anything that violated permits or ordinances”, the statement read.

The department of conservation website stated there are only 1,700 dotterels left in New Zealand and warned beachgoers to watch out for their nests in the sand near the high-tide mark. They say the birds are so tiny that they’re hard to see and are therefore easily crushed by large vehicles.

Our shoots have always been with the guidance and support of the relevant local authority – most recently Screen Auckland and Parks – and landowners. However, the crew allegedly disregarded the restriction of having just two vehicles on the beach. “So it is a major concern for the board”, she continued.

Swift has shared images of her Kiwi holiday with her 56.9 million Instagram fans, and her visit attracted extensive media and social media coverage. “No dotterel were harmed”, it added.

While an island source said the star tried to keep a low profile as she arrived to shore via boat, there was no mistaking that the picnic was a Taylor Swift picnic. “But she’s got another song ‘Wildest Dreams’ that says “say you’ll remember me’; maybe I’ll do that instead”.