Grey-backed Storm Petrel

Reoreo is one of the smallest seabirds in the New Zealand region, a compact grey-and-white storm petrel of rough southern seas. It lacks the bright white rump shown by most black-and-white storm petrels. The head, breast and neck are dark grey, the back and rump are paler grey, and the belly and underwings are white. White-faced storm petrel is larger, longer-legged, whiter-faced and uses a high bounding flight.

It breeds in the Chatham, Antipodes, Campbell and Auckland island groups, nesting beneath dense low vegetation. Birds forage over deep subantarctic water and may reach mainland coasts in winter. Reoreo flutter over floating kelp to pick up barnacle larvae, other small crustaceans and fish. Pairs share incubation of one egg in a vegetation-covered tunnel.

Grey-backed storm petrel is At Risk — Relict (NZ Threat Classification). Rats and cats have removed it from invaded islands, while fire and large grazing mammals can destroy nesting vegetation. Subantarctic waters offer the best chance, though winter pelagic trips around New Zealand occasionally find birds. Storm-driven individuals have appeared around Fiordland and South Westland.