Pycroft's petrel

Lore & Background

The Pycroft's petrel is a species of gadfly petrel thought to be closely related to the Stejneger's petrel. It was named after Arthur Pycroft, a New Zealand naturalist who made the first scientific discovery of the species, and was described by Robert Falla. The bird's plumage is grey and white, with a darker M pattern on the back, a faint grey breast band, and a dark grey patch around the eye.

Reader's Guide

Pycroft's petrel is significant as a seabird endemic to New Zealand's breeding islands, with a restricted range that makes it vulnerable to introduced predators. Its breeding habitat is temperate forests with soft soils on offshore islands. The species lays a single egg in a burrow, with incubation lasting about 45 days and chicks fledging after roughly 80 days. Historically, it also bred on Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island but is now extinct there. Conservation efforts, particularly the removal of rats and other introduced predators from breeding colonies, have led to a recovery and increasing numbers. The species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Its diet includes squid and crustaceans, and outside the breeding season it is thought to feed in the Central Pacific, with records from Japan, the United States, and other Pacific islands.

Did You Know?

• The species was named after Arthur Pycroft, a New Zealand naturalist.
• It breeds only on 11 islands off the North Island of New Zealand.
• Chicks and eggs are sometimes eaten by tuatara.
• The Mercury Islands are the stronghold for this species.