Mottled Petrel
Pterodroma inexpectata
Silhouette: Kimberly Haddrell · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderProcellariiformes (Tubenoses)
- FamilyProcellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels)
- GenusPterodroma (Gadfly Petrels)
- SpeciesPterodroma inexpectata (Mottled Petrel)
About the Mottled Petrel
The mottled petrel (Pterodroma inexpectata) or kōrure is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. It usually attains 33 to 35 cm (13–14 in) in length with a 74 to 82 cm (29–32 in) wingspan. This species is highly pelagic, rarely approaching land, except to nest and rear young. The mottled petrel feeds mostly on fish and squid, with some crustaceans taken. It is a transequatorial migrant, breeding in the islands of New Zealand, and migrating to the Bering Sea, concentrating in the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.
It was previously found on mainland New Zealand North and South Islands, but is now only found on smaller off-shore islands near Fiordland, Stewart Island and Snares Islands, with the largest populations on Codfish Island, Big South Cape Island and the Snares Islands.
The mottled petrel uses burrows and rock crevices to nest in. It was formerly more numerous than today. The species' numbers have been and continue to be affected by predation by introduced mammals. Chicks have been reintroduced to Maungaharuru, hills 24 km from the sea, in Hawke's Bay.
The breeding behaviour of the mottled petrel is similar to that of the sooty shearwater... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Mottled Petrel in Rakiura National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Rakiura National Park
Cook's Petrel
Pterodroma cookii
Sooty Shearwater
Puffinus griseus
Antarctic Petrel
Thalassoica antarctica
Cape Petrel
Daption capense
Northern Giant Petrel
Macronectes halli
Fairy Prion
Pachyptila turtur
White-chinned Petrel
Procellaria aequinoctialis
Broad-billed Prion
Pachyptila vittata
Westland Petrel
Procellaria westlandica
Buller's Shearwater
Puffinus bulleri
Southern Giant Petrel
Macronectes giganteus
Short-tailed Shearwater
Puffinus tenuirostris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Mottled Petrel in Rakiura National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mottled Petrel sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 53 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Mottled Petrel in Rakiura National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Mottled Petrel in Rakiura National Park in our monthly data.