Birds
Mottled Petrel
Pterodroma inexpectata · also called Peale's petrel
Breeding on a handful of remote New Zealand islands before crossing the entire Pacific Ocean to spend half the year in the North Pacific, a mottled petrel undertakes one of the longest and most complete transequatorial journeys of any gadfly petrel.
Overview
The mottled petrel, Pterodroma inexpectata, is a Near Threatened seabird native to ocean habitat across the Pacific Ocean, breeding in the Southern Hemisphere and migrating to the North Pacific outside the breeding season. Its enormous transequatorial migration, distinctive mottled plumage, and restricted breeding range on a small number of New Zealand islands make it one of the more geographically remarkable gadfly petrels found anywhere in the Pacific.
A breeding range and a feeding range on opposite sides of the world
While its entire breeding population is confined to a handful of small New Zealand islands, the mottled petrel spends much of its year an entire ocean away in the North Pacific, one of the most complete seasonal reversals of range found in any Southern Hemisphere seabird.
Status
Near Threatened, having declined at some breeding islands due to introduced predators, despite the species’ enormous overall migratory range.
Mottled Petrel: common questions
How far does the mottled petrel migrate?
This species undertakes an enormous migration across the entire Pacific Ocean, travelling from its Southern Hemisphere breeding islands all the way to the North Pacific to spend the non-breeding season.
Where does the mottled petrel breed?
This species breeds only on a small number of New Zealand subantarctic islands, nesting in burrows dug into soil on remote, predator-limited sites.
How can you identify a mottled petrel?
This species has a distinctive mottled grey-and-white plumage pattern, along with a dark M-shaped marking across the wings, a combination that gives the species its common name.
Why is the mottled petrel considered Near Threatened?
This species faces significant predation pressure from introduced rats and other mammals at some of its breeding islands, a threat that has contributed to localised population declines.