Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Wedge-tailed shearwater is a long-tailed tropical seabird that breeds in the Kermadec Islands and occurs in dark and pale plumage forms. The long pointed tail forms a distinct wedge, the bill is slender and dark, and flight alternates languid flaps with glides. Flesh-footed shearwater has a shorter tail, pale bill and pink feet.

New Zealand colonies occur in the Kermadec group, with birds dispersing across warm Pacific waters and only rarely approaching the mainland. It takes fish and squid by surface-seizing and shallow plunges and gives drawn-out wailing calls at night around burrows.

Wedge-tailed shearwater is At Risk — Relict (NZ Threat Classification). Introduced rats and cats reduced colonies, while plastic and fishing gear affect birds at sea. Kermadec voyages provide the realistic New Zealand opportunity; mainland sightings are rare offshore records.