Beach Patrollers Guide to Stormcast Seabirds (Procellariiformes) found in New Zealand
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 9:02 pm
Kia Ora
Just a quick reminder of a fantastic free resource in the Beach Patrollers Guide to Stormcast Seabirds (Procellariiformes) found in New Zealand by Stella Rowe & Adrian Plant. This excellent publication can be downloaded from the Birds New Zealand website.
https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/wp-content/u ... e-1212.pdf
Included within the booklet is a fantastic table of seabird measurements that is most useful in the identifying seabirds & especially when you just have skeletal remains. Recently a number of our Birds New Zealand, Auckland Branch members did a beach patrol of Karekare Beach & they found the remains of a giant petrel, which was handed to me to identify. The remains were just the skull & one leg, whilst these were desiccated & sun bleached.
The skull had a reddish brown colour to the bill tip that indicated a Northern giant petrel; although this was a bit mouldy & perhaps the colour had changed ? However; the measurements were very conclusive for a Northern Giant Petrel with a culmen (bill length) of 106mm, tarsus of 90mm & a middle toe & claw of 140mm.
I very much recommend this guide to all beach patrollers.
Cheers, Ian
Just a quick reminder of a fantastic free resource in the Beach Patrollers Guide to Stormcast Seabirds (Procellariiformes) found in New Zealand by Stella Rowe & Adrian Plant. This excellent publication can be downloaded from the Birds New Zealand website.
https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/wp-content/u ... e-1212.pdf
Included within the booklet is a fantastic table of seabird measurements that is most useful in the identifying seabirds & especially when you just have skeletal remains. Recently a number of our Birds New Zealand, Auckland Branch members did a beach patrol of Karekare Beach & they found the remains of a giant petrel, which was handed to me to identify. The remains were just the skull & one leg, whilst these were desiccated & sun bleached.
The skull had a reddish brown colour to the bill tip that indicated a Northern giant petrel; although this was a bit mouldy & perhaps the colour had changed ? However; the measurements were very conclusive for a Northern Giant Petrel with a culmen (bill length) of 106mm, tarsus of 90mm & a middle toe & claw of 140mm.
I very much recommend this guide to all beach patrollers.
Cheers, Ian