Birds
New Zealand Storm-petrel
Fregetta maoriana · also called New Zealand storm petrel
Believed extinct for well over a century, a New Zealand storm-petrel reappeared at sea in 2003 in one of the most celebrated seabird rediscoveries of modern times, its breeding grounds on a small island confirmed only years afterward.
Overview
The New Zealand storm-petrel, Fregetta maoriana, is a Vulnerable seabird native to ocean habitat across the Hauraki Gulf and nearby waters off New Zealand’s North Island. Its presumed extinction for over a century, its dramatic 2003 rediscovery at sea, and the subsequent hunt to locate its breeding site make it one of the most remarkable comeback stories in modern ornithology.
A species written off for generations
For more than a hundred years, the New Zealand storm-petrel existed only in old museum specimens and historical descriptions, until a handful of sharp-eyed birders spotted living individuals at sea, turning a presumed extinction into one of the great seabird discoveries of the twenty-first century.
Status
Vulnerable, with populations remaining small and only recently confirmed to be breeding, numbers and long-term trends still being established following the species’ dramatic rediscovery.
New Zealand Storm-petrel: common questions
Was the New Zealand storm-petrel really believed extinct?
Yes, this species was believed extinct for well over a century, with no confirmed sightings from the mid-1800s until birders spotted individuals at sea in 2003.
How was the New Zealand storm-petrel rediscovered?
This species was rediscovered at sea in 2003, when birders confirmed sightings matching historical descriptions, sparking a search that eventually located its breeding grounds on a small New Zealand island.
How can you identify a New Zealand storm-petrel?
This species has a distinctive white belly patch and dark legs, features that helped confirm its identity as a species separate from other similar storm-petrels found in the same waters.
Why is the New Zealand storm-petrel's rediscovery considered so significant?
This species is considered one of the most celebrated seabird rediscoveries of modern times, since it had been presumed extinct for well over a century before its dramatic return to the scientific record.