New Zealand Storm-Petrel
Fregetta maoriana
Small seabird endemic to New Zealand. Dark blackish-brown head, breast, upperparts, and tail. Rump and belly white with variable dark streaking running down from breast. Underwings have pale panel with broad dark edge. Note especially long legs, with feet trailing well behind the square tail. Thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 2003 on Little Barrier Island, which remains the only known breeding location. At sea, recorded mostly around New Zealand’s northern waters. Four similar species: Wilson’s Storm-Petrel has dark underparts and underwing; Black-bellied Storm-Petrel is larger, with shorter legs that still extend past tail and with a white belly that has a black line down the middle; White-bellied Storm-Petrel is larger, with feet that do not extend past tail; Gray-backed Storm-Petrel does not have a white rump.
Identification
The New Zealand storm petrel (Fregetta maoriana) is a small seabird of the family Oceanitidae endemic to New Zealand. Thought to be extinct since 1850, a series of sightings from 2003 to the present indicated the presence of a previously unknown colony. The population of New Zealand storm petrels has been estimated to be less than 2000.
Taxonomy
Genus: Fregetta; Family: Oceanitidae; Order: Procellariiformes.
- Scientific name
- Fregetta maoriana
- Authority
- (Mathews, 1932)
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Oceanitidae
- Genus
- Fregetta
Range and habitat
Breeding range: PO : Little Barrier I. (e of n North I., New Zealand). Non-breeding range: to seas off se Australia and Fiji area (sw Polynesia).
- Breeding range
- PO : Little Barrier I. (e of n North I., New Zealand)
- Non-breeding range
- to seas off se Australia and Fiji area (sw Polynesia)
- Migration
- unknown
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
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