Pterodroma inexpectata
Silhouette: Kimberly Haddrell · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
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 →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mottled Petrel sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 65th most-seen of the 80 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mottled Petrel in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March to January, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mottled Petrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Mottled Petrel sightings, Rakiura National Park has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mottled Petrel is recorded against all the birds logged in Rakiura National Park (31 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.
