New Zealand Storm Petrel

Fregetta maoriana (Mathews, 1932)

New Zealand Storm Petrel, Fregetta maoriana, is a seabird of the Pacific Ocean, breeding on Little Barrier Island east of North Island, New Zealand, and ranging outside the breeding season to seas off south-east Australia and the Fiji area of south-west Polynesia. It belongs to the Oceanitidae, the Austral Storm Petrels. Once thought lost, it was later confirmed again and a breeding site was found in the Hauraki Gulf. It is a small bird, with dark upperparts, a white rump, black underparts from throat to breast, a white belly marked with black, and feet that extend well past the tail.

Order

Procellariiformes

Family

Oceanitidae — Austral Storm Petrels

Breeding range

Pacific Ocean: Little Barrier I. (e of n North I., New Zealand)

Nonbreeding range

to seas off se Australia and Fiji area (sw Polynesia)