The Chatham Petrel (also known as the Chatham Island Petrel) is a burrow-nesting oceanic bird endemic to the Chatham Islands.
Habitat
During the breeding season (November to May) the Chatham petrel breeds in the Chatham Islands, mostly on South East Island (Rangatira) but also in predator proof areas on Pitt Island and the main Chatham Island. The rest of the year they live ‘on wing’, which means they do not land, flying up to Peru and Chile. The Chatham petrels build their burrows close to the surface in endemic forest habitats but are scattered thinly among other sea birds burrows.
Description
Chatham petrels are medium sized birds with a dark grey back and upper wing, a mottled dark grey and white forehead with white underparts and a black diagonal bar from the leading edge of their underwing to the armpit. They have pink legs and feet. Their bill is black with a hooked tip.
Diet
Chatham petrels eat squid and fish, caught within a few metres from the surface. Adults feed the chicks by regurgitating the food they have already eaten.
Threats
The Chatham petrel is classified as vulnerable with only about 1,100 mature birds.
Their primary threat is competition for burrows from the Broad Billed Prion which also lives on South East Island. They come to breed near the end of the Chatham petrel’s breeding season. The parents are often out finding food, leaving the chicks alone in the burrow with no protection. The Broad Billed Prion will come into a burrow and kill or destroy any chicks or eggs, therefore claiming the burrow as its own.
People working on South East Island have to be careful as the island is riddled with burrows and if you step in the wrong place your foot could go through the roof of a burrow, potentially breaking eggs or killing birds. To prevent this everyone on the island is fitted with a sheet of plywood that attaches to your shoes, working like snow shoes.
How to help
As the Chatham petrel lives only within predator proof fences and on islands not accessible by the public we can help by donating to organisations such as DOC and those that build predator proof sites and help the Chatham petrel. If you see a Chatham petrel then contact DOC to let them know.
References
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatham_petrel
DOC - https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/chatham-petrel-ranguru/
NZ Birds Online - http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/chatham-petrel
Birdlife - http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chatham-petrel-pterodroma-axillaris
ICUN Red List - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697949/132613763
NZ Geographic - https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/to-save-a-petrel/
Te Papa - https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2018/04/11/the-petrels-of-rangatira-island-chatham-islands/
During the breeding season (November to May) the Chatham petrel breeds in the Chatham Islands, mostly on South East Island (Rangatira) but also in predator proof areas on Pitt Island and the main Chatham Island. The rest of the year they live ‘on wing’, which means they do not land, flying up to Peru and Chile. The Chatham petrels build their burrows close to the surface in endemic forest habitats but are scattered thinly among other sea birds burrows.
Description
Chatham petrels are medium sized birds with a dark grey back and upper wing, a mottled dark grey and white forehead with white underparts and a black diagonal bar from the leading edge of their underwing to the armpit. They have pink legs and feet. Their bill is black with a hooked tip.
Diet
Chatham petrels eat squid and fish, caught within a few metres from the surface. Adults feed the chicks by regurgitating the food they have already eaten.
Threats
The Chatham petrel is classified as vulnerable with only about 1,100 mature birds.
Their primary threat is competition for burrows from the Broad Billed Prion which also lives on South East Island. They come to breed near the end of the Chatham petrel’s breeding season. The parents are often out finding food, leaving the chicks alone in the burrow with no protection. The Broad Billed Prion will come into a burrow and kill or destroy any chicks or eggs, therefore claiming the burrow as its own.
People working on South East Island have to be careful as the island is riddled with burrows and if you step in the wrong place your foot could go through the roof of a burrow, potentially breaking eggs or killing birds. To prevent this everyone on the island is fitted with a sheet of plywood that attaches to your shoes, working like snow shoes.
How to help
As the Chatham petrel lives only within predator proof fences and on islands not accessible by the public we can help by donating to organisations such as DOC and those that build predator proof sites and help the Chatham petrel. If you see a Chatham petrel then contact DOC to let them know.
References
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatham_petrel
DOC - https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/chatham-petrel-ranguru/
NZ Birds Online - http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/chatham-petrel
Birdlife - http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chatham-petrel-pterodroma-axillaris
ICUN Red List - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697949/132613763
NZ Geographic - https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/to-save-a-petrel/
Te Papa - https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2018/04/11/the-petrels-of-rangatira-island-chatham-islands/