COOK'S PETREL

Photographed on pelagic off Tauranga, New Zealand, February 2024

1337                       COOK'S PETREL                 Pterodroma cookii

NEW ZEALAND                 133

Breeds Little Barrier, Great Barrier and Codfish Islands. Migrates to eastern Pacific, from California to Chile. Breeds October to May.

BLACK PETREL

 

Photographed on pelagic off Tauranga, New Zealand, February 2024

(*279)         BLACK PETREL             Procellaria parkinsoni

NEW ZEALAND      128

c1750 pairs breed only on Great Barrier and Little Barrier Islands; formerly on inland ranges of the mainland.In breeding season, seen mainly around North Island and west to Australia. Migrates to eastern tropical Pacific, July-October. Breeding November to July.

WHITE-CHINNED PETREL

Photographed off Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

(*  965)                 WHITE-CHINNED PETREL                Procellaria aequinoctialis

NEW ZEALAND             110

Also known as Shoemaker. Breeds circumpolar subantarctic, including Antipodes, Auckland and Campbell Islands. Occasionally seen near mainland New Zealand but mainly ranges to south and east.

WESTLAND PETREL

Photographed off Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

(*  1254)                  WESTLAND PETREL                 Procellaria westlandica

NEW ZEALAND             109

Uncommon endemic. About 4000 pairs breed only in the forested coastal foothills of the Paparoa Range between Barrytown and Punakaiki, West Coast, South Island. In breeding season seen mainly off east coast, Cook Strait and West Coast but ranges west to Australia; migrates to central or eastern South Pacific.

CAPE PETREL

Photographed off Stewart Island, April, 2019

(*   789)               CAPE PETREL               Daption capense

NEW ZEALAND              101

Also known as Cape Pigeon, Pintado Petrel, Cape Fulmar. Only member of genus Caption. Common seabird, estimated 2 million population. Two subspecies: D. Capense capense breeds on circumpolar subantarctic islands; D. Capense austral breeds on New Zealand’s subantarctic islands.

COMMON DIVING PETREL

Photographed on the crossing from Bluff, South Island New Zealand to Stewart Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

(*1236)                       COMMON DIVING PETREL                   Pelecanoides urinatrix

NEW ZEALAND                 98

Known by Maori name Kuaka. Breeds circumpolar subantartic. Main NZ sites off eastern North Island, Cook and Foveaux Straits, Chatham Islands, The Snares, Antipodes and Auckland Islands.

NORTHERN GIANT PETREL

Photographed off Otago Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

(* 794)                   NORTHERN GIANT PETREL                    Macronectes halli 

NEW ZEALAND                   92

Also known as Hall's (Giant) Petrel. 80-95 cm, wingspan 1.5-2.1 m. Breeds in sub-antarctic islands, incl. Chatham, Antipodes, Campbell, Auckland and Macquarie Is., NZ region; also Stewart Is. Wide circumpolar range generally n. of Antarctic convergence. 

BULWER'S PETREL

Photographed between Ashmore Reef and Scott Reef, nw WA, March 2019

1272                 BULWER’S PETREL                    Bulweria bulwerii                

AUSTRALIA              772

Breeds in North Atlantic in colonies on islands in Cape Verde Islands, Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira Groups, and across Nth Pacific from east of China to Hawaii; in Australia records as vagrant off ne Queensland and Victoria; may be common from Sept. to April off nw WA. Highly pelagic feeder and rarely found near land. Eats small fish, squid and some crabs, krill, shrimp.

TRINDADE PETREL

Photographed on West Island, Ashmore Reef, WA, March 2019

1271                TRINDADE PETREL                 Pterodroma arminjoniana                    

AUSTRALIA                     771

Was considered conspecific with Herald Petrel. Considered vulnerable due to habitation loss and small breeding range. Breeds on oceanic islands and atolls, usually on cliff edges; notably Trindade Island 1,100 kms from Brazilian c last, and Round Island in Indian Ocean.  On some islands breeding birds threatened by rats and cats.

NOTE: First Australian record.

BLUE PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk pelagic, Tasmania, June 2018

1255                   BLUE PETREL                   Halobaena caerulea.   

AUSTRALIA                752

Found in the seas off southern Australia from c. Fremantle around to c Sydney. Mostly July -Oct. Commonly beach washed after storms. Breeds on sub-antarctic Islands.

Port MacDonnell pelagic, South Australia, 25 August, 2019

WESTLAND PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk pelagic, Tasmania, June 2018

1254                      WESTLAND PETREL               Procellaria westlandica

AUSTRALIA                 749

Also known as Westland Black Petrel. Large member of petrel family. Majority of life spent at sea but breeds in forests of west coast of South Island New Zealand. Nocturnal and hunt at night, preying on fish, squid and crustaceans.

GREY PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk Neck pelagic, Tasmania, June 2018

 1253                  GREY PETREL                  Procellaria cinerea

AUSTRALIA              748

Also known as Brown Petrel, Pedlunker, and Grey Shearwater. Occurs in open seas of Southern Hemisphere, mainly between 49 degrees South and 32 degrees South. Numbers are decreasing and believed to be only 400,000 left. Breed in burrows in the ground, laying only one egg.

COMMON DIVING PETREL

Photographed on Eaglehawk pelagic, Tasmania, January 2018

1236                 COMMON DIVING PETREL                 Pelecanoides urinatrix

AUSTRALIA              729

Also known simply as Diving Petrel, it is the smallest of the Diving Petrels. Native to waters of South Africa and islands of the southern Indian Ocean, islands and islets off New Zealand and south-east Australian islands. Feeds on continental shelf during breeding season; movements during non-breeding season are poorly known. Catches prey by wing propelled diving, up to 60m; feeds on crustaceans, but known to forage at night on migrating plankton.