Chatham Islands Petrel
Pterodroma axillaris
The Chatham Islands Petrel (Pterodroma axillaris) is a legendary petrels, shearwaters, and diving petrel found only in New Zealand, weighing about 165 g. The Chatham Islands petrel, also known as the Chatham petrel or ranguru (Māori), is a medium-sized, grey, white and black gadfly petrel.
About the Chatham Islands Petrel
The Chatham Islands petrel, also known as the Chatham petrel or ranguru (Māori), is a medium-sized, grey, white and black gadfly petrel. It only breeds on the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, and until recently was restricted to the 218-hectare Rangatira or South-East Island.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Chatham Islands petrel is a medium-sized petrel with a mottled dark-grey and white forehead, dark grey back and upper wings, and white underparts. A black diagonal bar extends from the leading edge of underwing to a black 'armpit'. The shoulders and upper-wing coverts are a deeper grey giving a dark M pattern across the spread upper wings. The bill is black and strongly hooked tip. The eye is dark, and the legs and feet are pink, with dark outer toes and webs. The sexes are alike.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, December, with peak activity in January. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Chatham Islands Petrel?
- The Chatham Islands petrel is a medium-sized petrel with a mottled dark-grey and white forehead, dark grey back and upper wings, and white underparts. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Chatham Islands Petrel?
- The Chatham Islands Petrel is a medium sized bird weighing about 165 g.
- Where can you see a Chatham Islands Petrel?
- The Chatham Islands Petrel is endemic to New Zealand, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Chatham Islands Petrel?
- The Chatham Islands Petrel is most easily confused with the Henderson Petrel, the Magenta Petrel and the Collared Petrel.
- Is the Chatham Islands Petrel endangered?
- The Chatham Islands Petrel is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Chatham Islands Petrel for real
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