Chatham Islands

The Chatham Islands archipelago is located over 800 kilometres east of New Zealand and the only Antipodean Islands south of Australia and New Zealand to have permanent human settlement.

The Chatham Islands archipelago consists of one large island and numerous smaller islands and rocky islets, with only two of the islands inhabited. These islands represent New Zealand’s most easterly territory. The islands have recently undergone a conservation programme thanks to the increasing awareness and willingness of the new generation. People are now working towards conserving the remaining species of endemic birds and several private reserves have been established, with replanting and predator control efforts underway. Fortunately, a small number of endemic bird species have survived on the offshore islands. 

Birds of the Chatham Islands

The most famous bird species are the Magenta petrel and the black robin. Other endemic species include the Chatham Island oystercatcher, the grey warbler, the Chatham Islands pigeon, the Chatham Islands snipe, and the shore plover. Many seabird species are still quite common including Buller’s mollymawk, prions, skuas, sooty shearwaters, storm-petrels and little (blue) penguins.

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