Tahiti Petrel

Tahiti Petrel

Pseudobulweria rostrata

Silhouette: Martin Riethmuller · PhyloPic

LCNTNear ThreatenedVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Manuel Antonio National Park

In 3 days <5%

28 Verified sightings at Manuel Antonio National Park From 2019 to 2026
48 In all 2 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Tahiti Petrel

The Tahiti petrel (Pseudobulweria rostrata) is a medium-sized, dark brown and white seabird found across the Pacific Ocean. The Tahiti petrel belongs to the Procellariidae family and is the most studied member of the Pseudobulweria genus which comprises three critically endangered species. Similarly, the Tahiti petrel is considered near threatened by the 2018 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Threats include introduced rats, feral cats, pigs, dogs, nickel mining, and light pollution.

In 1848, Peale collected and described the first specimen of this species in Tahiti. Then, in 1917, the Tahiti petrel was separated into two subspecies: rostrata and trouessarti, due to trouessarti's more robust bill. Also, after originally... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:36

France · 2007

© Nicolas Delelis · XC305358 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
2 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Tahiti Petrel in Manuel Antonio National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Tahiti Petrel sighting in Manuel Antonio National Park on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 284th most-seen of the 325 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Tahiti Petrel in Manuel Antonio National Park?

September

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tahiti Petrel in Manuel Antonio National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months. That is one of Manuel Antonio National Park's wettest months, with about 660 mm of rain against 35 mm in February.

What time of day is best to see a Tahiti Petrel?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tahiti Petrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Manuel Antonio National Park the best place to see a Tahiti Petrel?

Among the best

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Tahiti Petrel sightings, Manuel Antonio National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve (Costa Rica, under 5%).

Where does the Tahiti Petrel sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Tahiti Petrel is recorded against all the birds logged in Manuel Antonio National Park (28 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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