New Zealand storm petrel
New Zealand storm petrel | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Procellariiformes |
Family: | Oceanitidae |
Genus: | Fregetta |
Species: | F. maoriana
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Binomial name | |
Fregetta maoriana (Mathews, 1932)
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Synonyms | |
Oceanites maorianus |
The New Zealand storm petrel (Fregetta maoriana) is a small
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
Rediscovery
It had been believed to be
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.
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "Fregetta maoriana. NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ Flood (2003). "The New Zealand storm-petrel is not extinct. it was last seen in 2003". Birding World. 16: 479–483.
- ^ "NZ seabird returns 150 years on". BBC News. 24 December 2003.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Woulfe, Catherine (2011-09-25). "Big flap over little dead bird". Stuff.co.nz. New Zealand. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
- PMID 21855642.
- ^ "The New Zealand Storm-petrel is not Extinct" Archived 2004-04-09 at the Wayback Machine, Wrybill Birding
- ^ "New Zealand Storm-petrel discovered breeding 50 km from Auckland City". BirdLife International. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- ^ Mason, Cassandra (February 25, 2013). "Critically endangered NZ storm petrel found breeding". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "First NZ storm petrel egg found by scientists". New Zealand Herald. February 25, 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
Further reading
- Gaskin, C.P.; Baird, K.A. (2005). "Observations of black and white storm petrels in the Hauraki Gulf, November 2003 to June 2005; Were they of New Zealand storm petrels?". Notornis. 52: 181–194.
- Saville, S.; Stephenson, B.; Southey, I. (2003). "A possible sighting of an 'extinct' bird – the New Zealand storm petrel". Birding World. 16: 173–175.
- Woulfe, Catherine (25 September 2011). "The Jesus bird returns". Sunday Star Times.
External links
- Species factsheet - BirdLife International