Seagulls

Kaikōura is rich in birdlife, and we have a fantastic stronghold of gull species around the peninsula. Red-billed gulls (Tārapunga), Black-backed gulls (Karoro) and smaller populations of black-billed gulls are all found around the coast.

Black-backed gulls are the biggest of the gull species here in Kaikōura and are characterised by the red marking on the end of their bills and dark upper back. They consume a large variety of food, from fish and shellfish to offal and frogs and invertebrates. On Seal Kayak Kaikōura tours, we often witness their creative hunting techniques by flying shellfish into the air and dropping them onto the rocks in order to crack the shell and access the meat inside. They are one of only two native birds that are not afforded any protection under the Wildlife Act in NZ, with many people considering them pests due to hanging around urban and farm areas. They generally will nest in large colonies between 100-1000 birds and can commute up to 30kmh a day in order to forage and scavenge for food.

Red-billed seagulls have been studied in Kaikōura in depth since the 1960s, making them one of the world's longest continually studied bird populations in the world. The population that nests around the peninsula is now the most significant remaining in NZ but is also at risk and declining due to predation by pests such as cats and dogs. Breeding occurs from October to December, and chicks fledge after approximately 37 days. Banded birds from the Kaikoura colony have been spotted over 400km away in areas such as Auckland and Invercargill but will generally stay within the same colony. These birds are a common sight on all SKK tours and are l photographed all around town.

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