The ōi are back again!

Winter signals the time for Ōi /Grey-faced petrels to lay their eggs.  After spending time at sea where they feed and fatten up, the Ōi return to their burrows around July to lay a single white egg. 

Seabird eggs and chicks tucked away in burrows are vulnerable to predation, which is why predator control is essential to their survival. With the help of our dedicated team of “burrow buddies” we carry out additional trapping and monitoring of Ōi burrows in the breeding season.  A range of tools help us track breeding progress, by looking for signs of activity.  Visiting birds leave signs of guano (bird poo!) and feathers around the burrow entrance and a distinct fishy smell too! 

Thanks to funding from Meridian Energy, we have some new 24-hour monitoring cameras this season that give us an intimate look at the everyday (and night time) activities of the Ōi.

Being able to see them preening before entering and then exiting their burrows, as well as finding their mates at the start of the season has given us a heap of insight into seabird nesting behaviour. Watch this space as we will report back how successful our chicks are this year! Fingers crossed!