Hutton's Shearwater
Encyclopedia
The Hutton's Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni) is a species of seabird
in the family Procellariidae
. Its common and specific name commemorates F. W. Hutton, a former curator of the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch
.
It is an endemic breeder of New Zealand
, with breeding restricted to only two remaining colonies in the Kaikoura Seaward Ranges
, Kaikoura
. During the non-breeding winter months migration occurs to South Australia
. Some anecdotal evidence suggests pre-breeding birds circumnavigate Australia
in the years leading up to sexual maturity.
Its natural habitat
s are open sea
s, and colonies occur within the sub-alpine to alpine
range.
It is threatened primarily by habitat loss caused by colony disruption by introduced
browsing mammals and introduced stoat
(Mustela erminea) predation on their nesting burrows. In order to preserve the species a new colony has been established on the Kaikoura Peninsula
.
These birds sometimes crash-land on roads, apparently mistaking the roads for stretches of open water.
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
in the family Procellariidae
Procellariidae
The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes , which also includes the albatrosses, the storm-petrels, and the diving petrels.The procellariids are...
. Its common and specific name commemorates F. W. Hutton, a former curator of the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
.
It is an endemic breeder of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, with breeding restricted to only two remaining colonies in the Kaikoura Seaward Ranges
Kaikoura Ranges
The Kaikoura Ranges are two parallel ranges of mountains in the northeast of the South Island of New Zealand.Formed along New Zealand's Marlborough Fault System, they can be seen as the northernmost extension of the Southern Alps in the South Island....
, Kaikoura
Kaikoura
Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 180 km north of Christchurch.Kaikoura became the first local authority to reach the Green Globe tourism certification standard....
. During the non-breeding winter months migration occurs to South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Some anecdotal evidence suggests pre-breeding birds circumnavigate Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the years leading up to sexual maturity.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are open sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
s, and colonies occur within the sub-alpine to alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
range.
It is threatened primarily by habitat loss caused by colony disruption by introduced
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
browsing mammals and introduced stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
(Mustela erminea) predation on their nesting burrows. In order to preserve the species a new colony has been established on the Kaikoura Peninsula
Kaikoura Peninsula
The Kaikoura Peninsula is located in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. It protrudes five kilometres into the Pacific Ocean.The town of Kaikoura is located on the north shore of the peninsula....
.
These birds sometimes crash-land on roads, apparently mistaking the roads for stretches of open water.