Albatross Encounter Kaikoura

03/09/2026

Bird of the Year is back for 2026 and we’ve picked our five!

Across our tours here in Kaikōura, we’re very lucky to regularly come across a huge variety of native birdlife. So when it came to choosing our Bird of the Year picks, we went with five familiar species we see out on the water or around the township.

Our five are the northern royal albatross, Hutton’s shearwater, banded dotterel, little penguin and red-billed gull.

Bird of the Year is Forest & Bird’s annual compet**ion celebrating Aotearoa’s native birds and raising awareness of the challenges they face. There are more than 70 birds in the running this year and everyone can choose up to five.

Whether you’ve joined us out on the water, are a local here in Kaikōura or just love our native birds, it’s a fun campaign to get involved with and learn a little more about the species around us.

Voting runs from 4–20 September at birdoftheyear.org.nz.

Once you’ve voted, make sure you check your email and click Validate my vote so your choices are counted.

Take a look through our five picks, then head over and choose yours.

25/08/2026

Meet the two species of giant petrel we see around Kaikōura and learn a little more about these impressive seabirds.

24/08/2026

The first of our precious t**i home 🤍

12/08/2026

Our July sightings summary is here!

We had a great mix of winter seabirds joining us out on the water throughout July.

Have a look through to see how many different species we recorded and which birds made the most appearances!

03/08/2026

Any of our followers in the UK near Welshpool? Would be worth going along to meet Lottie (who was a Dolphin Encounter Guide and bird enthusiast with us last summer) and sharing some memories - she’s lovely! ☺️🌊🪶

19/07/2026

The black-browed albatross is one of the species we regularly encounter in Kaikōura. While sightings peak during the winter months, they can occasionally be seen throughout summer too.

Swipe through to learn how to identify one and how to tell it apart from the similar-looking Campbell albatross.

On every Albatross Encounter tour, our knowledgeable skippers record every bird species encountered. These checklists are uploaded to eBird and shared with our guests so they can keep a record of the species seen during their tour.

Our 2026 black-browed albatross sightings so far:

January – 3
February – 8
March – 3
April – 16
May – 45
June – 27
July – 17 (so far)

-browed

19/07/2026

The black-browed albatross is one of the species we regularly encounter in Kaikōura. While sightings peak during the winter months, they can occasionally be seen throughout summer too.

Swipe through to learn how to identify one and how to tell it apart from the similar-looking Campbell albatross.

On every Albatross Encounter tour, our knowledgeable skippers record every bird species encountered. These checklists are uploaded to eBird and shared with our guests so they can keep a record of the species seen during their trip.

Our 2026 black-browed albatross sightings so far:

• January – 3
• February – 8
• March – 3
• April – 16
• May – 45
• June – 27
• July – 17 (so far)

-browed

04/07/2026

Following World Seabird Day, we're highlighting the Westland petrel (Tāiko).

A winter breeder, endemic to New Zealand, and a regular visitor on our tours.

Swipe through to learn more.

What seabirds would you like to know more about?

01/07/2026

Thanks for the shout out Lynton Downs Farm Stay 🙌

Albatross watching and seabird watching tours in Kaikoura. Meet nature's most extraordinary seabirds close-up on New Zealand's wild Kaikoura coastline.

03/06/2026

More international visitors are coming to New Zealand, and they’re also spending more once they’re here, according to new data. That’s great for tourism operators and our wider economy.

Winter tourism is alive and well in Kaikōura. Humpback whales have been spotted every day so far in The Great Kaikōura Whale Count and Albatross Encounter Kaikoura have been busy showing visitors the world’s largest marine bird! It’s a great time of year to visit.

#012 Kaikōura electorate pics