What's that shorebird? A guide to the shorebirds of Aotearoa/New Zealand (PDF, 1,372K)
New Zealand is famous for its land birds like the kiwi and kākāpō. But just as remarkable and unique are the seabirds. More than a third of the 80 or so species of seabirds that breed in New Zealand are endemic, or found nowhere else.
Albatrosses are the world's largest seabirds. They spend at least 85% of their lives at sea returning to land (usually remote islands) to breed and raise their young.
New Zealand's only endemic gull is the most threatened gull species in the world, and it's rapidly declining.
This black and white wader is unique to the Chatham Islands. It is an endangered species with a high risk of extinction due to its very small population and range
The tāiko is one of the world's rarest seabirds, and nest in long burrows under forest cover.
Once widespread on the Chatham Islands, the Chatham petrel was until recently restricted to Rangatira Island but active management has allowed the population to grow on other islands.
The nationally vulnerable Hutton's shearwater is the only seabird globally to breed in a sub-alpine environment.
The shell banks of Miranda, New Zealand, attract thousands of migratory birds each year and make for fantastic bird viewing.
The endangered New Zealand dotterel/tūturiwhatu is found only in this country.
The New Zealand fairy tern/tara iti is probably New Zealand's rarest breeding bird.
Penguins are a unique group of flightless seabirds that are at home on land and in the sea. New Zealand has more penguin species on our shores than any other country.
The Westland petrel (tāiko) is endemic to New Zealand and breeds only on the West Coast of the South Island.
