Wilson's Storm Petrel

Wilson’s storm petrel is a tiny black seabird that passes through New Zealand waters while migrating between Antarctic breeding grounds and northern-ocean feeding areas. It is black except for a bold white rump band and grey upperwing bar; yellow toe-webs may show at close range. White-bellied and black-bellied storm petrels show white or patterned underparts rather than an entirely dark underside.

Birds breed in ice-free Antarctic rock crevices and pass through deep New Zealand waters twice each year. They concentrate near shelf edges and oceanic upwellings rather than close to shore. They hover and patter over the surface to take crustaceans, small fish and squid, and also scavenge fisheries waste.

Wilson’s storm petrel is classed as a Migrant in the NZ Threat Classification: it visits New Zealand waters rather than breeding here. Specialist offshore trips provide the realistic viewing opportunity, especially over deep water beyond the continental shelf.