Kerguelen Petrel

Kerguelen petrel is a compact, uniformly slate-grey gadfly petrel that visits New Zealand waters from distant southern breeding islands. Its dark slate body, small black bill, rounded head and pale silvery underwing lining create a plainer appearance than patterned Pterodroma petrels. Soft-plumaged petrel shows a pale underside and dark breast band.

It breeds on Kerguelen and other southern Indian Ocean islands and occurs as a migrant in deep waters south of New Zealand. Birds use fast arcing flight over rough seas and take squid, fish and crustaceans from the surface.

Kerguelen petrel is a Migrant under the NZ Threat Classification. Introduced predators at foreign breeding islands and marine change affect the species outside New Zealand. Records are scarce and require southern oceanic voyages well beyond the mainland shelf.