Cook's Petrel: Small petrel, slate-gray back and upperwings marked by a distinctive black M pattern. Underparts, underwings are white. Face is white with small, dark mask. Wings are long and slender. Tail is gray, black-tipped central feathers and white edges. Black bill, blue-gray legs and feet.
Range and Habitat
Cook's Petrel: Breeds on islands off New Zealand; migrates regularly to Pacific waters near North America. Pelagic; comes to land only to breed.
Cook's Petrel was formerly more numerous than today. Numbers were affected by predation by introduced mammals and Wekas. Populations have started to recover as rats and cats and other introduced wildlife are removed from breeding islands.
A group of cook's petrels are collectively known as a "pantry" of petrels.