Phil Hansbro The New Zealand Storm-petrel was considered extinct until its rediscovery in 2003 Zoom In

New Zealand petrel causes a storm

25-02-2004

The New Zealand Storm-petrel (commonly referred to as Oceanites maorianus, although the taxonomy of the species is yet to be formalised) has been rediscovered in waters just off New Zealand's North Island. Birds were seen in January and November 2003, the first records of this ‘Extinct’ species, which was previously known only from fossil material and three 19th Century specimens.

“At the time, I felt we were sticking our necks out by even suggesting the identification as maorianus, but as events subsequently proved, I’m very glad that we did so as it alerted others to the possibility that the New Zealand Storm-petrel still survived.” —Brent Stephenson

On 25 January 2003, a group of birdwatchers on a Wrybill Birding Tours pelagic off Whitianga, Coromandel Peninsula, North Island, obtained good but brief views of a small black-and-white storm-petrel, and photographs were obtained by Brent Stephenson. At the time, the observers believed the bird to be a Black-bellied Storm-petrel Fregetta tropica, but close examination of the photographs revealed several inconsistent features with this identification, in particular the pattern of white on the underwings and the breast streaking all seemed wrong. Furthermore, the bird appeared smaller and slighter than accompanying White-faced Storm-petrels Pelagodroma marina, with longer more pointed wings and the dark feet projected well beyond the tail. The closest match was to specimens of the ‘Extinct’ New Zealand Storm-petrel. The images and discussions over the identity of the mystery bird were posted on the internet and an account of their sighting published in Birding World 16: 173–175. Expert opinion was divided, however, with some considering the bird possibly a related species or an aberrant form or subspecies of one.

Tony Palliser On 17 November 2003, two visiting British birdwatchers observed up to 20 small black-and-white storm-petrels, which they later identified as the presumed-extinct New Zealand Storm-petrel Zoom In

“It took a while for the magnitude of our sightings to sink in - it was just fantastic to be able to confirm that, against all the odds, the remarkable New Zealand Storm-petrel had managed to survive, undetected, for more than 150 years.” —Bob Flood

This sighting might have remained a curiosity were it not for events later in the year. On 17 November 2003, two British birdwatchers, Bob Flood and Bryan Thomas, chartered a small fishing boat and sailed into the Hauraki Gulf, to a location just north of Little Barrier Island. Over a two-hour period, they attracted storm-petrels around the boat by floating a bag of fish scraps (‘chum’) over the side. At least 10 and possibly as many as 20 small black-and-white storm-petrels - which the observers considered to be Black-bellied Storm-petrels - were seen, and several of the birds photographed and video taped. That evening, whilst examining the photographs, they noted features at variance with this identification - notably the unclean-cut breast band, the white central belly, the degree of flank streaking and the ‘wrong’ wing structure and foot projection. Fortunately, both observers had read the earlier Wrybill Birding Tours sighting of a possible New Zealand Storm-petrel. The following day they reread this account, and reached the only possible conclusion - that the ‘Extinct’ New Zealand Storm-petrel was still alive! A full account of Flood and Thomas’s remarkable findings appears in Birding World 16: 479–482.

Tony Palliser New Zealand Storm-petrels continue to be seen from pelagic trips off Little Barrier Island Zoom In

“A priority now is to find out exactly where these birds are breeding, assess and monitor their population and put in place appropriate conservation measures.” —Barry Weeber, Senior Conservation Officer, Forest & Bird

Specimen measurements provided by seabird expert Jean-Claude Stahl at the New Zealand National Museum supported the slighter build and other structural differences expected from Black-bellied and White-bellied F. grallaria Storm-petrels. Barry Weeber, Senior Conservation Officer at Forest & Bird (BirdLife in New Zealand) said “This rediscovery is fantastic news. Presumably the species has managed to survive on a predator-free island, possibly in the Hauraki Gulf. A priority now is to find out exactly where these birds are breeding, assess and monitor their population and put in place appropriate conservation measures.”

These sightings have clearly not proved to be one-offs, as birds have been continued to be seen on subsequent pelagics off New Zealand in early 2004. For example, on 18 January, up to 11 New Zealand Storm-petrels were seen – and the birds have even been filmed for New Zealand television!