Satellite tracking New Zealand’s Black Petrels on their pre-laying exodus

Satellite tracks of Black Petrels prior to egg laying

Elizabeth ‘Biz’ Bell, Kelvin Floyd and Samantha Ray of Wildlife Management International have recently attached satellite transmitters (Telonics Inc TAV-2617) to 10 ACAP-listed Black Petrels Procellaria parkinsoni in the Mount Hobson /Hirakimata study colony on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island/Aotea.  The devices are currently tracking pre-laying exodus flights of the nationally and globally Vulnerable petrel, endemic to New Zealand.

A satellite tracker is attached to a Black Petrel

The Black Petrel is one of two ACAP-listed species up for election this year in New Zealand’s annual Bird of the Year competition (‘BOTY2020’); the other being the Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis.  The competition is now open until 15 November.  You can vote preferentially for up to five birds, so vote for both!

"The light green bird (H-34843) is just less than halfway between New Zealand and South America sitting currently at 4200 km away from Great Barrier Island - not too far from Rapa Iti (French Polynesia)"

Information from Wildlife Management International’s Facebook Page and 'Biz' Bell, with thanks.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 09 November 2020