Pelagic seabirds from New Zealand boats

If you only take one boat trip in New Zealand, make it a seabird trip. These waters sit at the centre of the world's tubenose diversity: according to the Department of Conservation (DOC), more albatross varieties breed in the New Zealand region than anywhere else, and many of our petrels and shearwaters breed on a single island group or mountain range.

Most of these birds never come within sight of land by day. To see them you need to get out on the water, whether on a dedicated pelagic trip, a scheduled ferry or a coastal cruise. This note covers the main areas, the seasons, and a few identification basics.

The outer Hauraki Gulf

The islands of the outer Hauraki Gulf, off Auckland, hold breeding colonies of several petrels and shearwaters, and the waters around them can be busy from spring to autumn.

Takahikare-raro (New Zealand storm petrel). This small, dark storm petrel with a white rump and streaked belly was considered extinct until birdwatchers saw one off Whitianga on the Coromandel coast in 2003. Its first nests were found on Hauturu Little Barrier Island in 2013. It is mainly seen in the outer Gulf in the summer months, often pattering over slicks close to the boat. See the NZ Birds Online storm petrel page for its features.

Tāiko (black petrel). An all-dark petrel with a pale bill and dark tip. It breeds only on Aotea Great Barrier Island and Hauturu, attending colonies from about October to July, and it spends the southern winter off South and Central America.

Rako (Buller's shearwater). An elegant grey-and-white shearwater with a dark "M" across its upperwings. Its only regular breeding grounds are the Poor Knights Islands off Tutukaka. It's common in the Gulf and Bay of Plenty from spring to autumn, then migrates to the North Pacific.

Also look for pakahā (fluttering shearwater), oi (grey-faced petrel), takahikare (white-faced storm petrel), and in calm weather the occasional Bryde's whale.

Kaikōura

Kaikōura is New Zealand's best-known seabird spot for one reason: the Kaikōura Canyon, a deep submarine canyon that brings deep water to within about a kilometre of the shore south of the peninsula. Rich feeding close to land means you can be among albatrosses within minutes of leaving the wharf.

Several albatross species are regular, and on a good day you may be able to compare great albatrosses with the smaller mollymawks side by side. Giant petrels are regular, and Cape petrels and Westland petrels add to the mix in the cooler months.

Kaikōura also has its own seabird. Kaikōura tītī (Hutton's shearwater) breeds only in the Seaward Kaikōura Range, nesting in burrows on tussock slopes above 1,200 metres. It's the only seabird known to breed in alpine country. From about September to March, large flocks feed and rest close inshore, and at dusk you can watch them heading for the mountains. Bright lights can disorient the young birds as they leave their burrows, so night lighting matters around Kaikōura. The Wikipedia article on Kaikōura gives good background on the canyon and the town's wildlife history.

Ferries: the budget pelagic

You don't need a charter to see good seabirds. Scheduled ferries cross several productive stretches of water:

• Cook Strait (Wellington to Picton). Westland petrels, which breed only near Punakaiki on the West Coast, are the commonest large dark petrel in Cook Strait in winter. Fluttering shearwaters are often present too.
• Foveaux Strait (Bluff to Rakiura Stewart Island). Short but often lively, with mollymawks, tītī (sooty shearwater), and sometimes penguins in the water near the islands.
• Hauraki Gulf ferries. Island ferries pass through good water for shearwaters and petrels, especially in summer.

Stand on the open deck at the stern or on the side out of the wind, and scan low over the water rather than up in the sky.

Telling tubenoses apart

Seabird identification is about shape, flight and pattern more than colour.

• Albatrosses glide on long, stiff wings held straight, rarely flapping. The great albatrosses (royal and wandering types) are huge and mostly white as adults. Mollymawks are smaller with dark upperwings and a "saddle" across the back.
• Petrels are stockier, with stronger bills and a more banking, arcing flight. Many are dark, so note bill colour and any pale feathers.
• Shearwaters fly low and fast, with stiff wingbeats and shearing glides, tilting from side to side over the waves. Compare upperwing patterns: rako show a bold "M"; pakahā look uniformly dark above and flap more often.
• Storm petrels are tiny and flutter or patter close to the surface, often with their feet touching the water.

Photograph birds when you can. A sharp picture of the underwing and bill solves most identification puzzles later.

Etiquette and safety at sea

Good pelagic operators follow wildlife codes, and you should too:

• Don't throw food from the boat unless the skipper is running a planned, legal feeding session. Feeding birds randomly teaches them bad habits around fishing vessels.
• Never try to touch or catch a bird, even one that lands on the deck. Tell the crew.
• Report banded birds. Note the band colour and number if you can read it.
• Look after yourself: take seasickness remedies before you sail, wear layers and waterproofs even in summer, and keep hold of the rail when the boat is moving.

Before booking any trip, check the operator's own site for departures and cancellation policies, and check the MetService marine forecast the day before. A cancelled trip is better than a dangerous one, and the birds will still be out there tomorrow.