A New Zealand Storm Petrel Fregetta maoriana off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2017

Summary. We document a sighting of the Critically Endangered New Zealand Storm Petrel Fregetta maoriana made during a pelagic expedition in May 2017 off Gau Island, Fiji. This is the first confirmed record of this recently rediscovered species away from New Zealand, and provides evidence of long-distance dispersal by failed or non-breeders to tropical waters. It expands the known range by c.2,000 km north. Identification necessitated a thorough review of the ‘streaked storm petrels’ of the Pacific Ocean and this is summarised.

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