The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand

Name: The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand
Address: Tutukaka, Tutukaka, NZ
Telephone: +6421322324

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The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand

One of the world's best full day pelagic seabird birding tour experiences. ⭐️ Huge seabird diversity with 69 species seen to date.

Also part of a seabird research project. Based out of Tutukaka, Northland, New Zealand The Petrel Station pelagic seabird tours have a well-earned reputation for being one of the best pelagic seabird trips in New Zealand, and globally, for birders to see an incredible diversity of stunning seabirds. Based out of Tutukaka (in Northland, NZ) these tours are any bird watchers dream! So far we've seen

69 seabird species (and 52 of those are tubenose seabirds!). The best way to experience these seabirds is out on the ocean, in their world, so get in touch if you’re keen for a great day out with some stunning seabirds! Here’s just a few reasons why the tours are special:

• Best location, and tour, in the world to see New Zealand Storm Petrel

• An impressive list of specialty local seabirds including Pycroft’s, Cooks and Black Petrel, Little Shearwater and Grey Noddy to name a few

• 24 seabird species breed locally on nearby islands & mainland

• Migrating seabirds pass by in season, & scarce vagrant seabirds turn up as well

• Our latitude (35ºS) is generally as far south as tropical seabirds, and as far north as southern seabirds will range, so we’re in a prime location to see a diverse mix of seabird species over various seasons

• Huge feeding workups of Buller’s Shearwater and Fairy Prion in season

• Every tour out helps towards the at-sea seabird sighting research project

• Exceptionable up close seabird viewing and photo opportunities

• A full day out means lots of time on the water (trips go for 9 to 10 hours)

• Tours go year round, for a wide range of seabirds over the various seasons. FOR MORE INFO

www.thepetrelstation.nz
The Petrel Station's comprehensive website has loads of info about:
– the seabird species, the different seasons and local specialty seabirds
– tour dates, costs and booking details
– what the trips are like, FAQs, past tour reports and seabird image galleries
– the at-sea sighting research project
– private seabird charter tours

04/06/2026

THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT (28.05.26)
Had a great day out on the latest pelagic seabird tour to The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand.

Highlights of the tour were:
- 2 Brown Skuas
– Lots of Storm Petrels swirling around the boat.

In total we recorded just over 2,400 stunning seabirds, and 20 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were fine, with 5 knot winds and a 1.3m swell.

Keen to join us for a unique seabird encounter? Check out our upcoming tour dates and get in touch – the best way to experience these stunning seabirds is out on the ocean, in their world. It’s always a great day out 😁

www.thepetrelstation.nz

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Here’s the full tour results:
1 x NZ Wandering Albatross (ssp Gibson's)
5 x White-capped Albatross
2 x Brown Skua
750 x Fairy Prion
1 x Cook's Petrel
30 x Grey-faced Petrel
2 x Black Petrel
3 x Buller's Shearwater
65 x Fluttering Shearwater
36 x Little Shearwater
3 x Wilson's Storm Petrel
25 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
600 x Common Diving Petrel
6 x Little Blue Penguin
145 x Australasian Gannet
1 x White-fronted Tern
700 x Red-billed Gull
3 x Black-backed Gull
39 x Pied S**g
2 x Little S**g

Other marine life encountered:
60 x Common Dolphin
31 x NZ Fur Seal

—————————————————————

Cheers
Scott Brooks
The Petrel Station pelagic seabird tours and research
Tutukaka, New Zealand

P : 021 322 324
E : [email protected]
Website: www.thepetrelstation.nz
Facebook : The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand
Instagram : www.instagram.com/thepetrelstation

02/06/2026

Ahhh ... the classic New Zealand Storm Petrel image ... showing off the species' distinctive streaked belly and underwing pattern.

We had around 25 of these little stunners circling the boat for much of last week's tour, and while it's not an easy angle to capture, every so often they'll flick up briefly, revealing their full underside.

New Zealand Storm Petrels were thought to be extinct for more than 150 years before being rediscovered in 2003. Today they're still one of New Zealand's rarest seabirds, with an estimated population of just 2,000–3,000 birds, breeding solely on nearby Little Barrier Island.

They're one of the signature species of The Petrel Station seabird tours. Largely confined to northern New Zealand waters, we're privileged to encounter more New Zealand Storm Petrels than anywhere else on Earth.

Always a treat for everyone onboard 🙂

www.thepetrelstation.nz

12/05/2026

THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT (09.05.26)
Had an awesome day out on the recent Global Big Day pelagic seabird tour to The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand.

Highlights of the tour were:
- A Brown Skua that briefly visited
– 7 Wilson's Storm Petrels
– Our highest number of Fairy Prion for autumn.

In total we recorded 5,600 stunning seabirds, and 20 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were mostly fine, with 10-15 knot winds and a 2-2.5m swell.

Keen to join us for a unique seabird encounter? Check out our upcoming tour dates and get in touch – It’s always a great day out 😁

www.thepetrelstation.nz

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Here’s the full tour results:
19 x White-capped Albatross
1 x Brown Skua
4,000 x Fairy Prion
215 x Grey-faced Petrel
60 x Black Petrel
42 x Buller's Shearwater
62 x Fluttering Shearwater
23 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
1 x White-faced Storm Petrel
25 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
7 x Wilson's Storm Petrel
900 x Common Diving Petrel
14 x Little Blue Penguin
18 x Grey Noddy
3 x White-fronted Tern
115 x Australasian Gannet
42 x Red-billed Gull
4 x Black-backed Gull
48 x Pied S**g
1 x Little S**g

Other marine life encountered:
1 x Blue Shark
6 x NZ Fur Seal

—————————————————————

Cheers
Scott Brooks
The Petrel Station pelagic seabird tours and research
Tutukaka, New Zealand

P : 021 322 324
E : [email protected]
Website: www.thepetrelstation.nz
Facebook : The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand
Instagram : www.instagram.com/thepetrelstation

07/05/2026

Happy 100th Birthday to the legendary Sir David Attenborough

Like so many others, I grew up watching his incredible documentaries. They sparked a fascination with the natural world from a young age, leading to a passion for seabirds, the ocean, and ultimately The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand.

Beyond the extraordinary cinematography, Sir David’s voice has been a constant and powerful advocate for wildlife across the planet — including our oceans and the fragile species that depend on them, so often “out of sight, out of mind” for many. Every time we head out into the blue, we feel privileged to help add to that awareness by getting people offshore to experience these stunning seabirds and the beauty of the marine world through our seabird tours and long-term research project.

Few people have inspired a greater appreciation for nature and wildlife across the planet. Thank you, Sir David, for a century of inspiration. Happy 100th ❤️

www.thepetrelstation.nz

22/04/2026

NEW Website Section : OUR HUGE SEABIRD FEEDING WORKUPS
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One of the spectacular experiences The Petrel Station seabird tours are famous for are the huge seabird feeding workups that can develop offshore from Tutukaka during spring and summer — sometimes involving tens of thousands of seabirds.

We’ve just added a new section to our website all about this remarkable wildlife spectacle ... go check it out, and if you’d love to experience it for yourself, now is a great time to book in for one of our upcoming spring or summer tours:
www.thepetrelstation.nz/seabird-frenzy

14/04/2026

AUTUMN 2026 SEABIRDS TOURS ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN!
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With summer now complete, we’re excited to head back offshore with the stunning autumn season seabirds on The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand – here’s why Autumn is such a great time of year:

As the weather and ocean cool, a great mix of seabirds from the Southern Ocean move north into our area, and we can encounter an impressive diversity of Albatross species. It's also migration time for seabirds heading north, so there's potential for scarcer species passing through.

At the same time, our local summer breeders have departed and are replaced by local winter breeders such as Little Shearwater, Grey-faced Petrel, and Common Diving Petrel, which build in numbers through the season. New Zealand Storm Petrels are still around in good numbers through autumn, and there's usually still a few Grey Noddy around through to the end of April, adding another highlight to this exciting transitional time of year.

Keen to join us for some unforgettable autumn and winter seabird action? Check out the upcoming tours dates on our website and get in touch soon to avoid missing out. It's always a great day out 😁
www.thepetrelstation.nz

31/03/2026

THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT (30.03.26)
What a fantastic way to end a brilliant summer season on our latest pelagic seabird tour to The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand.

Highlights of the tour were:
– Wedge-tailed Shearwater - scarce in NZ
– 8 Wilson's Storm Petrel - our most ever
– The most Black Petrels we've ever recorded, swirling around the boat

In total we recorded just over 2,000 stunning seabirds, and 22 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were mostly fine, with 12-18 knot winds and a 1.5m swell.

Keen to join us for a unique seabird encounter? With summer now over we're looking forward to our autumn and winter seasons when all the Albatross species and Southern Ocean seabirds return to our area, and our local winter breeders build up in numbers too. Check out our upcoming tour dates and get in touch. It’s always a great day out 😁

www.thepetrelstation.nz

—————————————————————

Here’s the full tour results:
11 x White-capped Albatross
187 x Fairy Prion
20 x Cook's Petrel
1 x Pycroft's Petrel
85 x Black Petrel
210 x Buller's Shearwater
800 x Fluttering Shearwater
2 x Hutton's Shearwater
1 x Wedge-tailed Shearwater
10 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
145 x Common Diving Petrel
1 x White-faced Storm Petrel
30 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
8 x Wilson's Storm Petrel
3 x Little Blue Penguin
58 x Grey Noddy
8 x White-fronted Tern
335 x Australasian Gannet
50 x Red-billed Gull
4 x Black-backed Gull
53 x Pied S**g
1 x Little Black S**g

Other marine life encountered:
4 x Mahimahi Fish
1 x NZ Fur Seal
1 x Flying Fish

—————————————————————

Cheers
Scott Brooks
The Petrel Station pelagic seabird tours and research
Tutukaka, New Zealand

P : 021 322 324
E : [email protected]
Website: www.thepetrelstation.nz
Facebook : The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand
Instagram : www.instagram.com/thepetrelstation

23/03/2026

THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT (19.03.26)
Had a fantastic day out on the latest pelagic seabird tour to The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand.

In total we recorded just over of 10,500 stunning seabirds, and 23 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were fine, with 12-20 knot winds and a 2m swell.

Keen to join us for a unique seabird encounter? Check out our upcoming tour dates and get in touch – the best way to experience these stunning seabirds is out on the ocean, in their world. It’s always a great day out 😁

www.thepetrelstation.nz

—————————————————————

Here’s the full tour results:
1 x Buller's Albatross
1 x Black-browed Albatross
6 x White-capped Albatross
10 x Fairy Prion
56 x Cook's Petrel
6 x Pycroft's Petrel
2 x Black-winged Petrel
36 x Black Petrel
8,100 x Buller's Shearwater
1,500 x Fluttering Shearwater
13 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
3 x White-faced Storm Petrel
20 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
2 x Wilson's Storm Petrel
2 x Common Diving Petrel
3 x Little Blue Penguin
48 x Grey Noddy
390 x Australasian Gannet
51 x White-fronted Tern
340 x Red-billed Gull
3 x Black-backed Gull
62 x Pied S**g
1 x Little Black S**g

Other marine life encountered:
1 x Hammerhead Shark
1 x NZ Fur Seal
5 x Flying Fish

—————————————————————

Cheers
Scott Brooks
The Petrel Station pelagic seabird tours and research
Tutukaka, New Zealand

P : 021 322 324
E : [email protected]
Website: www.thepetrelstation.nz
Facebook : www.facebook.com/thepetrelstation
Instagram : www.instagram.com/thepetrelstation

25/02/2026

THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT (16, 19 & 20 FEB 2026)
3 DAYS -> 110,000 SEABIRDS! -> 25 SPECIES
We just completed 3 awesome summer seabird tour days out at The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand.

Highlights of the tours were:
– A superpod of at least 300 Common Dolphins with huge numbers of Flesh-footed Shearwaters following them
– A Wedge-tailed Shearwater (rare in NZ)
– Swirling masses of Buller's Shearwater stretching right across the horizon (a mind-blowing spectacle)
– Impressive numbers of New Zealand Storm Petrel

Over the 3 days we recorded just short of 110,000 stunning seabirds, and 26 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions across the 3 days were fine weather, 10-20 knot winds and a 1.2-1.5 swell.

Keen to join us for a unique seabird encounter? Check out our upcoming tour dates and get in touch – the best way to experience these stunning seabirds is out on the ocean, in their world. It’s always a great day out 😁

www.thepetrelstation.nz

—————————————————————

Here’s the full tour results of all seabirds recorded over the 3 days:
1 x NZ Wandering Albatross (ssp. Gibsons)
2 x White-capped Albatross
65 x Fairy Prion
496 x Cook's Petrel
15 x Pycroft's Petrel
3 x Black-winged Petrel
156 x Black Petrel
98,000 x Buller's Shearwater
214 x Fluttering Shearwater
2 x Little Shearwater
1 x Wedge-tailed Shearwater
3,400 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
6 x Short-tailed Shearwater
1 x Sooty Shearwater
35 x White-faced Storm Petrel
108 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
1 x Common Diving Petrel
2 x Little Blue Penguin
1 x Arctic Skua
111 x Grey Noddy
2 x White-fronted Tern
2,500 x Australasian Gannet
4,850 x Red-billed Gull
8 x Black-backed Gull
195 x Pied S**g

Other marine life encountered:
300 x Common Dolphin
1 x Mako Shark
1 x Hammerhead Shark
6 x Flying Fish

—————————————————————

Cheers
Scott Brooks
The Petrel Station pelagic seabird tours and research
Tutukaka, New Zealand

P : 021 322 324
E : [email protected]
Website: www.thepetrelstation.nz
Facebook : The Petrel Station Seabird Tours & Research - Tutukaka, New Zealand
Instagram : www.instagram.com/thepetrelstation

23/02/2026

HORIZON OF BULLER’S SHEARWATERS!
Last week we encountered 40,000+ Buller’s Shearwaters swirling around in the strong wind — a cloud of seabirds stretching across the horizon. Absolutely spectacular!

You never know what you’ll experience out on The Petrel Station seabird tours, offshore Tutukaka NZ – it's always a great day out 😊. The last summer tours are filling up, and the autumn tours are getting closer — tour dates + bookings: www.thepetrelstation.nz

Address

Tutukaka
Tutukaka

Telephone

+6421322324

Website

https://www.thepetrelstation.nz/

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