Magenta petrel
Chatham Island taiko
pterodroma magentae latin

The best known species are the Magenta Petrel and the Black Robin, both of which came perilously close to extinction before being subjected to conservation efforts.

Chatham Island Taiko or Magenta Petrel (Pterodroma magentae) bird.

It is important for the conservation of the critically endangered Magenta Petrel (Pterodroma magentae), or Chatham Island Taiko, a small burrow-nesting seabird.

The first specimen of the Magenta Petrel was collected from His Italian Majesty's ship Magenta on July 22, 1867 in the South Pacific ocean, midway between New Zealand and South America.

The advantages to the DOC were considerable; in addition to protecting species endemic to smaller islands, like the Magenta Petrel, islands near the mainland, once restored, could act as habitat for species of birds that were unable to survive on the mainland.

Chatham Islands Taiko at right.

Chatham Island Taiko or Magenta Petrel (Pterodroma magentae) bird.

The notes have the map of the Chatham Islands at left of the under-print and Chatham Islands Taiko at right.

It is important for the conservation of the critically endangered Magenta Petrel (Pterodroma magentae), or Chatham Island Taiko, a small burrow-nesting seabird.

The link between it and the presumed-extinct Chatham Island Taiko was only confirmed when the first Taiko was caught on Chatham Island, New Zealand by David Crockett on January 1, 1978.

The seabird translocation techniques perfected on Mana Island are being used with rare and endangered species elsewhere in New Zealand, such as the Chatham Island Taiko, Chatham Petrel and Hutton's Shearwater.

Jo Hiscock, who spent the summers of 2004 and 2005 with Project Puffin, is working for the New Zealand Department of Conservation protecting Chatham Island taiko petrels from predators; once thought to be extinct, fewer than 150 of the birds remain.