Cook's petrel or tītī (Māori), blue-footed petrel, is a Procellariform seabird endemic to New Zealand. It is a member of the gadfly petrels and part of the subgenus Cookilaria Bonaparte, 1856, which includes the very similar Stejneger's petrel.
Region
Pacific Ocean (New Zealand to North Pacific)
Typical Environment
Breeds on a small number of forested, predator-free islands off New Zealand, nesting in burrows on slopes and ridgelines. After breeding, it disperses widely across the subtropical and temperate Pacific, reaching the North Pacific offshore waters. At sea it remains strictly pelagic, occurring far from land and concentrating along oceanic fronts and upwellings. It rarely approaches coasts except when returning to colonies. During the non-breeding season, birds may range off the west coasts of the Americas and across central Pacific gyres.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 700 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Cook's petrel, or tītī in Māori, is a small gadfly petrel that breeds only on a few predator-managed islands of New Zealand and ranges widely across the Pacific outside the breeding season. Predator eradication on islands like Hauturu (Little Barrier) and Whenua Hou (Codfish) has led to strong recoveries in recent decades. It undertakes a remarkable transequatorial migration to the North Pacific. Like many petrels, it visits colonies only at night to avoid predation.
Cook's petrel mount from the collection of Auckland Museum
Cook's petrel photographed in Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand
Temperament
solitary and loosely gregarious
Flight Pattern
rapid, stiff wingbeats interspersed with arcing dynamic-soar glides low over waves
Social Behavior
Breeds colonially in burrows or rock crevices, often under forest cover. Pairs are long-term monogamous and share incubation and chick-rearing shifts. Colony attendance is strictly nocturnal, with birds commuting silently over the canopy and vocalizing primarily near burrows.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
At colonies emits yelping, wailing, and cooing calls, with male and female phrases differing in pitch and rhythm. Flight calls are softer and given while circling over the colony at night. At sea it is generally silent.
Plumage
Upperparts soft grey with a darker ‘M’ pattern across the upperwings; underparts clean white with narrow dark edging on underwings. Head shows a dark cap and eye mask contrasting with a pale forehead and face. Tail grey with a faint darker terminal band; wings long and narrow.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small fish, squid, and crustaceans captured at or near the surface. Often forages along convergences and upwelling zones where prey is concentrated. Takes advantage of diel vertical migrations of squid, feeding more actively at night. May occasionally associate with marine predators that drive prey to the surface.
Preferred Environment
Open pelagic waters far offshore, especially along oceanic fronts and current boundaries. Rarely enters coastal waters except near breeding islands. Foraging often occurs over deep water beyond the continental shelf.
