WILSON'S STORM-PETREL

Photographed on pelagic off Tauranga, New Zealand, February 2024

(*280)            WILSON'S STORM-PETREL           Oceanites oceanicus

NEW ZEALAND                  132

Breeds subantarctic and Antartica, including several colonies in the Ross Sea sector. Migrates to Northern Hemisphere but occasionally seen in New Zealand waters mainly November to December and May to March. Breeding is December to April.

SWINHOE'S STORM-PETREL

Photographed off Scot’s Reef, Western Australia, November 2019

1301                SWINHOE’S STORM-PETREL                   Oceandroma monorhis

AUSTRALIA                784

Breeds mostly in Sea of Japan (May-Aug), migrating in winter to tropical Indian Ocean (Sept-Apr); since 1999 shown to be uncommon non-breeding visitors pelagic waters off nw Aust; confirmed records restricted to Oct-Nov. 

BLACK-BELLIED STORM-PETREL

Photographed on Southport pelagic, May 2017

1183                BLACK-BELLIED STORM-PETREL              Fregetta tropica    

AUSTRALIA              708   

Breeds Nov-April on circumpolar sub-antarctic Islands; migrates into S Atlantic, s. Indian and S. Pacific Oceansto beyond equator in n Indian Ocean. In s and e Australia mostly a passage migrant, well offshore. 

GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL

Photographed on Kiama Pelagic, July 2016

798           GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL          Garrodia nereis

Australia           (642)

Breeds on islands in NZ region; also Macquarie, Kerguelen and islands in s. Indian Ocean and S. Atlantic. NZ population visits offshore waters of se Aust. in all months but mostly winter. Records from Eyre Pen. (SA), w and e Vic., Tas., and c. coast NSW. Flocks of hundreds reported beyond continental shelf.

WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL

Photographed on Kiama Pelagic, July 2016

797           WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL         Pelagodroma marina

Australia          (641)

Breeds in late spring and summer on many coastal islands in s. Aust. from Abrolhos group (WA) at least to Broughton Is. (NSW); Bass Strait and Tas. islands; also Kermadecs; NZ and NZ sub-Antartica Is; N. and S. Atlantic. Part of Aust population winter n. Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea; some e. coast birds range into the Pacific. Present offshore s. Aust.in summer; apparently (usually) absent in winter. Migratory.

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL

280            WILSON'S STORM-PETREL           Oceanites oceanicus

Australia       (250)

15-19 cm, span 38-42 cm. One of the world's most abundant and widespread birds. Migratory. Found off the coast except in north, and increasingly further offshore in northern Queensland.

Photographed on Kiama pelagic, June 2016