The photo shows how storm petrels patter across the surface of the water when searching for food. As they do this, they are lifted by their outspread wings, catching the wind like a wave-jumping windsurfer. This enables them to feed from the surface without having to land and take off. The delicate New Zealand storm petrel was thought for more than 100 years to be extinct. In January 2003 it was sighted at sea, and a few others have been seen since. In November 2005 one flew inside the cabin of a fishing boat, allowing feather samples to be taken to establish its identity. New Zealand storm petrels were discovered to be breeding on Little Barrier Island in 2013.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Eco-vista: Photography & Research
Reference:
Image 011405_040118
Photograph by Brent Stephenson
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.
Tāpiritia te tākupu hou