Not a phantom, but a plover

Except that is not it's name either. These birds were first seen in Aotearoa/New Zealand in 1932, after self-introduction from Australia. Initially seen in Southland, at the southern-most part of South Island. In the nearly a century since then the Masked Lapwing has spread around the main islands of the country.

At the time of the self-introduction the bird was known in Australia as the Spur-winged Plover. When it was realised that there is a Spur-winged plover in South America, the name was changed to Masked Lapwing.