Results of the Westland petrel satellite tracking programme 1995 season

Abstract

Three male Westland petrels, Procellaria westlandica, with chicks were tracked by satellite between 11 August and 19 September 1995. The flights are illustrated in the accompanying maps. The results show the importance of the continental slope to breeding Westland petrels. They also show that a breeding bird can complete a long distance flight ranging up to 800km from the colony. Although the tracked birds did spend some time in the vicinity of hoki trawlers, they also foraged over a far greater area than that worked by the fishing fleet.