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Description
The Petrel Station leads pelagic seabird tours departing from Tutukaka in northern New Zealand. With approx 70 seabird species recorded on the tours to date (including 24 locally breeding seabird species), this is one of the world's most diverse seabird hotspots. As such, it has earned the reputation as one of New Zealand and even the world's best seabird tours.
The Petrel Station is also famous for the massive spring season seabird feeding workups of Buller's Shearwater, Fairy Prion and others with workups often numbering 50,000+ seabirds.
Specialty birds of the tours include: New Zealand Storm-Petrel, Pycroft's Petrel, Cook's Petrel, Grey Ternlet, Chatham Albatross, Black-winged Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Parkinson's Petrel, Buller's Shearwater, Little Shearwater, South Polar Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Common Diving-Petrel.
Other likely species to encounter at various times of the year are Northern Royal Albatross, Antipodean Albatross, White-capped Albatross (Shy Albatross), Salvin's Albatross, Black-browed Albatross and Buller's Albatross, Northern Giant-Petrel, Fairy Prion, Cape Petrel, Grey-faced Petrel, Fluttering Shearwater, Hutton's Shearwater, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Short-tailed Shearwater, White-faced Storm Petrel, Wilson's Storm Petrel, Little Penguin, Australasian Gannet, Brown Skua, Arctic Skua. For a full list, including all the rare vagrants that have been recorded, check out the 'Species' page of The Petrel Station website.
Tours depart from Tutukaka, then pass through the stunning Poor Knights Islands (a major seabird breeding area) and continue out to the continental shelf for the deeper water species. Tours are approximately 9-10 hours so there's plenty of time on the water to enjoy the seabirds.
Tours can be booked through The Petrel Station website, with departures scheduled throughout the year to take advantage of the seasonal variation in species.
Details
Access
The Petrel Station seabird tours depart from the Tutukaka Marina, in Tutukaka, Northland, which by car is approximately 2.5 hours north of Auckland, and 25 minutes from Whangarei city. Press P on the map for directions to Tutukaka Marina. There is convenient accommodation and restaurant options close to the marina.
Terrain and Habitat
SeaConditions
WetCircular trail
NoIs a telescope useful?
NoGood birding season
All year roundDifficulty walking trail
Accessible by
BoatBirdwatching hide / platform
NoLinks
- The Petrel Station Seabird Tours website
- The Petrel Station Seabird Tours – Facebook page
- Tutukaka to Poor Knights eBird Hotspot
- Poor Knights Shelf eBird Hotspot