Hub
Seabirds
New Zealand's waters hold one of the richest seabird communities in the world, and many species breed nowhere else. These notes cover boat trips from the mainland, the subantarctic islands, and how to tell the commoner tubenoses apart.
Seabirds are best seen with a licensed operator or on a scheduled ferry. Check the operator's own site for sailings, and DOC for any permit or landing rules.
Open ocean
Pelagic seabirds from New Zealand boats
Albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters from the Hauraki Gulf, Kaikōura and the ferries: where to go, when, and how to tell the commoner tubenoses apart.
28 October 2026
Open ocean
Birding the subantarctic islands
Albatross, penguins and island endemics on New Zealand's five subantarctic island groups: what lives where, how visits work, and the strict biosecurity rules.
28 October 2026