Wanted - sightings of the storm petrel

Published by If you see this at sea please contact DOC as soon Department of Conservation as possible. We need to know: Auckland Conservancy Warkworth Area Office PO Box 474 Warkworth • number of seen Auckland • date and time of day October 2007 • lat/long position • SST and sea conditions, including whether there is a current or plankton slick

Contact details at sea and come back to land only to breed. They fly a bit like You can phone your NZ storm a swallow, fast and direct, and petrel sightings to the 24 hour will also patter on the surface of free DOC hotline: 0800 DOCHOT the sea like other storm petrels (0800 36 24 68), email to: kbaird@ (sometimes called ‘Jesus Birds’ or doc.govt.nz or send to ‘NZ storm ‘Mother Carey’s Chickens’). petrel sightings’, Department of Conservation, PO Box 474 Warkworth. They have black and white plumage – mainly dark on the upper side, What to look for with a very white rump, and white on the under wing, with dark NZ storm petrels are small streaking on the white belly (not about the same size as a blackbird. always easy to see). They spend the majority of time

Look-alikes

Wilson’s storm petrel White-faced storm petrel

Looks very similar to the NZ storm petrel but Slightly larger than the NZ storm petrel, with with a dark under wing and black belly. Seen grey upperparts, pale grey rump, white on close to the NZ mainland March to May (breeds the face and white on the undersides. Most in Antarctica). commonly seen in NZ waters August to May each year. Why sightings are (the first one captured for over a important hundred years). The skipper did exactly what we’d like you to do: The New Zealand storm petrel put the bird in box so it is in the was rediscovered in 2003 after dark and place it in a quiet corner, not being seen for over a hundred then contact DOC immediately. years. Since then it has been seen We will see if we can get a boat in northern New Zealand coastal and someone out to you. waters with most sightings in the outer Hauraki Gulf. A NZ Sometimes birds land on larger Storm Petrel Working Group has vessels and remain undetected for been set up with scientists and hours, even days. They may or volunteers working closely with may not survive. If you find a NZ the Department of Conservation storm petrel that has died on your to learn more about these birds. boat, please place the bird in the We are developing a database freezer in a plastic bag. Record of sightings. Your contribution the location of the boat and date will provide valuable information you found it, and contact us. This to help work out the petrel’s bird will still provide valuable distribution in New Zealand waters, information. and to discover where they are breeding. Handy tip When a lands on your boat What to do if a NZ storm and you need to handle it to put petrel lands on your boat it over the side, hold the bird over Seabirds are attracted to lights its wings so they can’t flap. With on boats and may land on your larger birds it pays to wear gloves deck. A couple of years ago a NZ to protect you from their sharp storm petrel landed on a crayfish beaks. Photo: Geordie Murman boat anchored near Little Barrier with NZSP

Photo: Holding a seabird

Published in August 2007 by the NZ Storm Petrel Working Group

Photo credits: Brent Stephenson Ian Southey Karen Baird Brian Thomas

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