Birds
Magenta Petrel
Pterodroma magentae · also called Chatham Island taiko
Known for over a century from a single specimen collected far out at sea, the magenta petrel was believed extinct until researchers found it breeding in forested hills on the Chatham Islands, making it one of the rarest seabirds alive today.
Overview
The magenta petrel, Pterodroma magentae, is a Critically Endangered seabird native to ocean and forest habitat found only around the Chatham Islands, a remote outpost of New Zealand. Its presumed extinction for over a century, its unexpected forested breeding habitat, and its status as one of the rarest seabirds on Earth make it one of the most dramatic rediscovery stories in modern ornithology.
A seabird found nesting in a forest
Few seabirds nest as far from the immediate coast as the magenta petrel, whose rediscovery deep in forested Chatham Islands hill country upended assumptions about where a presumed-extinct ocean-going bird might actually be hiding all along.
Status
Critically Endangered, with an extremely small population confined to a single island, though intensive conservation efforts including predator control have supported a slow increase from a once-critical low.
Magenta Petrel: common questions
Was the magenta petrel ever believed extinct?
Yes, this species was believed extinct for well over a century, known only from a single specimen collected far out at sea until researchers rediscovered a small breeding population.
Where was the magenta petrel rediscovered?
This species was rediscovered breeding in remote forested hills on the Chatham Islands, an unexpected inland nesting habitat that had kept the species hidden for so long.
How rare is the magenta petrel?
This species is considered one of the rarest seabird species on Earth, with an extremely small total population confined entirely to a single island.
What is being done to protect the magenta petrel?
This species is the focus of intensive conservation efforts, including predator control and nest monitoring, aimed at preventing its extinction after its population fell to a critical low.