FWS Focus
Overview
The magenta petrel, or Taiko as it is known locally, is native to Chatham Island, New Zealand (BirdLife International 2000), the largest island in the Chatham Islands chain, covering 348 square miles (900 km\2\, Wikipedia 2007b). Based on fossil evidence and historical records, it is believed that the magenta petrel was once the most abundant burrowing seabird on Chatham Island (Bourne 1964, Sutton and Marshall 1977, as cited in NZDOC 2001a). It has been reported that
prior to 1900, indigenous Moriori and Maori harvested thousands of petrel chicks for food (Crockett 1994). The limited feeding habits data show that the magenta petrel preys on squid (Heather and Robertson 1997, as cited in BirdLife International 2000).
Scientific Name
Pterodroma magentae
Common Name
Magenta Petrel
FWS Category
Birds
Identification Numbers
Geography
Timeline
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