Westland Petrel

Procellaria westlandica

The Westland Petrel, scientifically known as Procellaria westlandica, is a seabird endemic to New Zealand. These birds have a dark plumage with a distinctive white patch on the underwing. They are medium-sized petrels with a wingspan of around 90-100 cm. Westland Petrels are known for their remarkable breeding behavior, nesting in burrows on steep, forested slopes in the Southern Alps. They are nocturnal at the breeding sites and forage over the Tasman Sea. Unfortunately, their population is declining due to predation by introduced mammals and habitat loss. Conservation efforts are underway to protect their breeding sites and reduce threats to their survival.

Habitat: Coastal and forested slopes