Birds
Cook's Petrel
Pterodroma cookii · also called blue-footed petrel
Breeding on a handful of small New Zealand islands before crossing the entire Pacific Ocean to the waters off the Americas, Cook’s petrel completes one of the longest annual journeys of any gadfly petrel, its pale blue-grey feet a distinctive detail up close.
Overview
Cook’s petrel, Pterodroma cookii, is a Vulnerable seabird native to ocean habitat across the Pacific Ocean, breeding in New Zealand and migrating to the eastern Pacific outside the breeding season. Its enormous transequatorial migration, restricted breeding range, and distinctive pale feet make it one of the more geographically remarkable gadfly petrels found anywhere in the Pacific.
A tiny breeding footprint, an ocean-wide life
Despite depending on just a handful of small New Zealand islands to raise its single chick each year, Cook’s petrel spends much of the rest of its life crossing the length of the Pacific Ocean, one of the most complete seasonal range shifts of any Southern Hemisphere seabird.
Status
Vulnerable, having declined historically due to introduced predators at breeding islands, despite ongoing conservation efforts at key sites.
Cook's Petrel: common questions
How far does Cook's petrel migrate?
This species undertakes an enormous annual migration across the entire Pacific Ocean, travelling from its New Zealand breeding islands to the eastern Pacific off the Americas outside the breeding season.
Where does Cook's petrel breed?
This species breeds only on a small number of New Zealand islands, nesting in burrows dug into soil on predator-limited sites.
Why is Cook's petrel sometimes called the blue-footed petrel?
This species has distinctive pale blue-grey feet, a feature that gives it one of its alternative common names.
Why is Cook's petrel classified as Vulnerable?
This species has declined historically due to significant predation pressure from introduced rats and other mammals at some of its breeding islands.