Qualifies for the list as a Declining Yellow List Species

Photo: Glen Tepke

Buller’s Shearwater breeds only on Aorangi, Tawhiti Rahi, and five other islets and stacks in the Poor Knights Islands of New Zealand.

Between 1938 and 1981, after pigs were eradicated from Aorangi, its population there increased from approximately 200 to 200,000 pairs but it is unclear whether the population there is still increasing. Total numbers today are estimated at 2.5 million.

This species nests in burrows, rock crevices and ledges, often beneath dense vegetation. Modern fishery techniques, including long lines and set nets, are potential risks for the birds.