Petrel flew 12,000km to NZ

A southern giant petrel that was found injured on a Northland beach nearly three months ago had flown nearly 12,000km, the British Museum of Natural History has confirmed.

The bird was traced through the museum band on its leg, allowing Northpower Bird Recovery Centre manager Robert Webb to discover the bird was a one-year-old that had flown 11,700km from Bird Island, 1000km east of Falkland Islands.

Bird Island is a wildlife haven situated in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Mr Webb looked after the 3.5kg bird for a few weeks before it died from injuries believed to have been caused by a hook on a fishing line. The bird was found at Glinks Gully, near Dargaville.

Mr Webb guessed in July that the bird had flown from the Falkland Islands because of the British Museum of Natural History band it wore on its leg.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)