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.

SOOTY SHEARWATER

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

(* 971)                        SOOTY SHEARWATER                   Puffinus griseus

NEW ZEALAND               97

Also known by Maori name Titi; and as Muttonbird. Breeds mainly around NZ, but also southern Australia, Macquarie Island and southern South America. NZ birds migrate to North Pacific.

Photographed off Stewart Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

BULLER'S MOLLYMAWK

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

(* 792)                  BULLER'S MOLLYMAWK                 Thalassarche bulleri   

NEW ZEALAND                  96

Locally common endemic. Southern Bullers breeds on The Snares and Solander's Islands; Northern Bullers breed at Kings and Chathams. Commonly seen off NZ coast or behind boats and trawlers during breeding. Most disperse to eastern Pacific after breeding.

Photographed off Stewart Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

BLUE PENGUIN

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

(*        )                    BLUE PENGUIN                Eudyptula minor

NEW ZEALAND                 95

Also known by Maori name Korora; in Australia known as Little Penguin or Little Blue Penguin. Common native. Breeds on rocky coasts and islands throughout NZ, but can nest hundreds of metres inland. When breeding comes ashore at dusk and departs at dawn. Moults in burrows, under rock piles or in dense vegetation. Often seen in coastal waters.

WHITE-CAPPED MOLLYMAWK

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

1281                  WHITE-CAPPED MOLLYMAWK                     Thalassarche cauta steadi              

NEW ZEALAND              94

Also known as Shy Mollymawk. Common native. Breeds around Tasmania and NZ subantarctic, mainly at Disappointment Island, Auckland Island and Adams Islands and a few at Bollons Island, Antipodes. Ranges widely through southern oceans, and often to NZ coastal waters, especially seen around fishing boats.

Photographed off Stewart Island, April, 2019

NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS

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

(* 273)                     NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS                Diomedea sandfordi   

NEW ZEALAND               93

Known by Maori name Toroa. Locally common endemic. Breeds at Taiaroa Head, Dunedin and The Sisters and The Forty-fours, Chatham. Ranges widely circumpolar through the southern oceans, and most often seen in NZ coastal waters in winter, except seen throughout the year at Taiaroa Heads where 30-35 pairs breed.

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. 

BROWN CREEPER

Photographed at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

1280                  BROWN CREEPER               Mohoua novaeseelandiae 

NEW ZEALAND                  91

Known by the Maori name Pipipi. Locally common endemic. Usually in small fast moving flocks feeding high in the canopy. Forest and scrubs of Stewart and South Island.

YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN

Photographed at Oamaru, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

1279                   YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN                Megadyptes antipodes 

NEW ZEALAND                90

Known by the Maori name of Hoiho. Uncommon endemic. About 5000 birds breed and moult around southeastern South Island, Foreaux Strait, Stewart, Codfish, Campbell and Auckland islands. Mainly sedentary, but some disperse northwards to Cook Strait.

OTAGO SHAG

Photographed at Oamaru, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

1278                    OTAGO SHAG                   Leucocarbo chalconotus

NEW ZEALAND                89

Was formerly known as Stewart Island Shag but DNA testing led to them being split into Otago Shag (found on rocky outcrops off Otago Peninsula, including as far north as Oamaru) and Foveaux Shag(found in Foveaux Straits and Stewart Island). Species is dimorphic, with two plumages; roughly a quarter of individuals are pied and the rest, known as Bronze or Dark Shags, are dark all over; both morphs breed together.

KEA

Photographed at Arthur's Pass, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

1277                      KEA                           Nestor notabilis

NEW ZEALAND                88

Found mainly in the Alpine zones, but also in forest and descends into lowland river flats of the South Island. Mainly herbivorous, berries, shoots etc but also scavenges and will eat carrion.

WEKA

Photographed at Punakaiki, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

1276                   WEKA                  Gallirallus australis

NEW ZEALAND             87

Found in forests, scrub and open country with good cover. Omnivorous, eats mainly invertebrates and fruit, also seeds, lizards, eggs and young birds. Originally seen as pests by farmers but now protected. Four subspecies.

SOUTH ISLAND ROBIN

Photographed at Arthur's Pass, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

1275                   SOUTH ISLAND ROBIN              Petroica australis    

NEW ZEALAND                  86

Known as by Maori name Toutouwai. Found in native and exotic forest, sometimes tall scrub; most common north of Arthur's Pass and on Stewart Island.