Birds
Westland Petrel
Procellaria westlandica · also called Westland black petrel
Nesting under a forest canopy in one small patch of hill country on New Zealand’s South Island, a Westland petrel breeds nowhere else on Earth, one of the very few seabirds to raise its chick inland rather than on open coastal ground.
Overview
The Westland petrel, Procellaria westlandica, is a Vulnerable seabird native to ocean and coastal habitat across the Tasman Sea and South Pacific, foraging widely from a single New Zealand breeding site. Its unusual forest-nesting habit, complete endemism to one small area, and unusual winter breeding schedule make it one of the more geographically and ecologically distinctive petrel species found anywhere in the world.
A seabird that chose the forest over the coast
While nearly every burrow-nesting seabird digs into open coastal ground, the Westland petrel instead breeds beneath a forest canopy well inland, an unusual choice that ties its entire global population to the health of one small patch of New Zealand woodland.
Status
Vulnerable, with populations remaining confined entirely to a single breeding area, affected by longline fishing bycatch and predation from introduced species near its breeding site.
Westland Petrel: common questions
Where does the Westland petrel breed?
This species breeds only in a small area of forested hill country on New Zealand's South Island, making it entirely endemic to that single location rather than a wider range.
Why is the Westland petrel's nesting habitat unusual?
This species is one of the very few burrow-nesting seabirds to breed inland under a forest canopy, rather than on the open coastal ground favoured by most petrels.
Why does the Westland petrel breed during winter?
This species breeds during the Southern Hemisphere winter, an unusual timing that leaves its chicks growing through some of the coldest months of the year rather than a milder season.
What threatens the Westland petrel?
This species faces significant mortality from longline fishing operations, becoming hooked while attempting to take bait set for target fish species, alongside predation from introduced species near its single breeding site.