New Zealand storm petrel

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New Zealand storm petrel
Fregetta maoriana 398650271 (cropped).jpg
Status NZTCS NV.svg
Nationally Vulnerable (NZ TCS) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Procellariiformes
Family: Oceanitidae
Genus: Fregetta
Species:
F. maoriana
Binomial name
Fregetta maoriana
(Mathews, 1932)
Synonyms

Oceanites maorianus
Fregetta maorianus

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. [3] [4] The population of New Zealand storm petrels has been estimated to be less than 2000. [5]

Contents

Description

The New Zealand storm petrel is a small seabird, dark brown/black above, except for its white rump. The underparts are black from the throat to the breast, with a white belly that has black streaking, and the feet project well beyond the tail. This storm petrel is strictly nocturnal at the breeding sites to avoid predation by larger and more aggressive gulls and skuas. Like most petrels, its walking ability is limited to a short shuffle to the burrow. It differs from the more common petrel species found in New Zealand, Wilson's storm petrel (O. oceanicus), by its pale bar on the upper wing, white belly with streaking, narrow white panel on the underwings, longer legs, and dark webs to the feet. Outside the breeding season, it is pelagic, remaining at sea, and this, together with its remote breeding sites, makes it a difficult bird to observe.

Taxonomy

The specific epithet honours the Māori, the native people of New Zealand. The New Zealand storm petrel has on occasion been considered a subspecies or even variant of Wilson's storm petrel, but is quite distinct. In 2011, DNA samples from museum specimens in England and France matched those of birds in the Hauraki Gulf. [6] The study also suggested the species is probably more closely related to storm petrels in the genus Fregetta than Oceanites . [7]

Rediscovery

New Zealand storm petrel photographed in Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand Oceanites maorianus-2.jpg
New Zealand storm petrel photographed in Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

It had been believed to be extinct, but on 25 January 2003, a possible sighting was made by Sav Saville, Brent Stephenson, and others close to the Mercury Islands off the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island, leading to several inconclusive photographs and an article being published. On 17 November 2003, while looking for black-bellied storm petrels and white-faced storm petrels, Bob Flood and Bryan Thomas obtained good photographs and video of 10 to 20 New Zealand storm petrels off Great Barrier and Little Barrier Islands in the Hauraki Gulf. [8] Subsequently, four storm petrels were captured and released in a similar area in late 2005/early 2006, three with radio transmitters attached. Tour operators have also regularly seen these birds on the Hauraki Gulf since this time.

The tagged birds were initially only tracked at sea; efforts to find the birds' breeding location were unsuccessful until 2013, when a breeding site on Little Barrier Island was found. [9] A team of researchers from Auckland University led by Chris Gaskin and Matt Rayner discovered the breeding site in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park in February 2013. Researchers will continue observing the birds from a distance to prevent disturbing the breeding cycle. They hope to establish the distribution and population of the remaining New Zealand storm petrels. [10] In February 2014, an egg of the New Zealand storm petrel on Little Barrier Island was first discovered. It measured 31 mm by 23 mm and was coloured white with a fine dusting of pink spots concentrated at one end. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-capped petrel</span> Species of bird

The black-capped petrel, also known as the diablotín, is a small seabird native to the West Indies in the genus Pterodroma. It is a long-winged petrel with a grey-brown back and wings, with a white nape and rump. Underparts are mainly white apart from a black cap and some dark underwing markings. It picks food items such as squid from the ocean surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-faced storm petrel</span> Species of bird

The white-faced storm petrel, also known as white-faced petrel or frigate petrel is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Pelagodroma. It is widely distributed across the southern hemisphere, especially around the coastal and open ocean waters of southern Australia and New Zealand

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takahē</span> Species of bird

The South Island takahē is a flightless swamphen indigenous to New Zealand and the largest living member of the rail family. It is often known by the abbreviated name takahē, which it shares with the recently extinct North Island takahē. The two takahē species are also known as notornis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magenta petrel</span> Species of bird

The magenta petrel, or Chatham Island tāiko, is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, Pterodroma. Found exclusively on Chatham Island, New Zealand, it is one of the rarest birds in the world, believed to be extinct for over 100 years before its rediscovery in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Barrier Island</span> Island in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

Little Barrier Island, or Hauturu in Māori, lies off the northeastern coast of New Zealand's North Island. Located 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the north of Auckland, the island is separated from the mainland to the west by Jellicoe Channel, and from the larger Great Barrier Island to the east by Cradock Channel. The two aptly named islands shelter the Hauraki Gulf from many of the storms of the Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westland petrel</span> Species of bird

The Westland petrel(Procellaria westlandica),, also known as the Westland black petrel, is a moderately large seabird in the petrel family Procellariidae, that is endemic to New Zealand. Described by Robert Falla in 1946, it is a stocky bird weighing approximately 1,100 grams (39 oz), and is one of the largest of the burrowing petrels. It is a dark blackish-brown colour with black legs and feet. It has a pale yellow bill with a dark tip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black petrel</span> Species of bird

The black petrel, also called Parkinson's petrel, is a medium-sized, black-plumaged petrel, the smallest of the Procellaria. The species is an endemic breeder of New Zealand, breeding only on Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island, off the North Island. At sea it disperses as far as Australia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied storm petrel</span> Species of bird

The white-bellied storm petrel is a species of seabird in the family Oceanitidae. It is found in Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Maldives, Namibia, New Zealand, Perú, Saint Helena, and South Africa. Its natural habitat is open seas.

<i>Fregetta</i> Genus of birds

Fregetta is a seabird genus in the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-bellied storm petrel</span> Species of bird

The black-bellied storm petrel is a species of seabird in the family Oceanitidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-backed storm petrel</span> Species of bird

The grey-backed storm petrel is a species of seabird in the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is monotypic within the genus Garrodia. It is found in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Falkland Islands, French Southern Territories, New Zealand, Saint Helena, South Africa, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is highly attracted to bright lights, especially in conditions of low visibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pycroft's petrel</span> Species of bird

Pycroft's petrel is a species of seabird in the petrel and shearwater family Procellariidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-faced petrel</span> Species of bird

The grey-faced petrel is a species of petrel endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. In New Zealand it is also known by its Māori name ōi and as a muttonbird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra</span> Ecoregion of several subantarctic islands in the southern Indian Ocean

The Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra is a tundra ecoregion that includes several subantarctic islands in the southern Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Noises</span> Group of islands in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand

The Noises are a collection of islands lying northeast of Rakino Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, off the coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The largest and most forested islands are Ōtata and Motuhoropapa; Orarapa and Maria/Ruapuke are also significant. After a rat eradication campaign in the 1960s, Maria was the first New Zealand island to become predator-free. The lack of invasive predators, intact native forest, and large numbers of breeding seabirds give the Noises significant conservation value. There has however been a marked decline in marine biodiversity surrounding the islands from over-fishing.

Imber's petrel is an extinct seabird of gadfly petrel from the Chatham Islands. The species' epithet commemorates New Zealand ornithologist Mike Imber (1940–2011).

References

  1. BirdLife International (2018). "Fregetta maoriana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22728808A132659638. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22728808A132659638.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Fregetta maoriana. NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  3. Flood (2003). "The New Zealand storm-petrel is not extinct. it was last seen in 2003". Birding World. 16: 479–483.
  4. "NZ seabird returns 150 years on". BBC News. 24 December 2003.
  5. Rayner, M J; Gaskin, C P; Taylor, G A; Tennyson, A J D; Fitzgerald, N B; Baird, K A; Friesen, M R; Ross, J; Ismar-Rebitz, S M H (2020). "Population estimation of the New Zealand storm petrel (Fregetta maoriana) from mark-recapture techniques at Hauturu/Little Barrier Island and from at-sea resightings of banded birds". Notornis. 67 (3): 503–510.
  6. Woulfe, Catherine (2011-09-25). "Big flap over little dead bird". Stuff.co.nz. New Zealand. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
  7. Robertson, Bruce; Brent M. Stephenson; Sharyn J. Goldstein (2011). "When rediscovery is not enough: Taxonomic uncertainty hinders conservation of a critically endangered bird". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 61 (3): 949–952. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2011.08.001. PMID   21855642.
  8. "The New Zealand Storm-petrel is not Extinct" Archived 2004-04-09 at the Wayback Machine , Wrybill Birding
  9. "New Zealand Storm-petrel discovered breeding 50 km from Auckland City". BirdLife International. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  10. Mason, Cassandra (February 25, 2013). "Critically endangered NZ storm petrel found breeding". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  11. "First NZ storm petrel egg found by scientists". New Zealand Herald. February 25, 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.

Further reading