Rarotongan Name: Kōputu
Common Name: Herald Petrel
Scientific Name: Pterodroma heraldica

IUCN Red List: Least Concern, decreasing populations

Distribution: Tropical Pacific Ocean, breeding from Raine Island (off Queensland, northeast Australia) east to Easter Island, as well as the Indian Ocean. Our initial surveys have confirmed multiple colonies of the species on Rarotonga.  

ARC focus: Breeding distribution, colony management, trend monitoring, assessment of threats due to infrastructure.

Project sites: Rarotonga, Atiu, Mangaia

? : As there is little known about the contemporary breeding populations of Procellariids in the Cook Islands, we do not know what else we will find – stay tuned for more results!