Northern New Zealand, including the Hauraki Gulf, is a seabird biodiversity hotspot with 28 species breeding in the region, five of which breed nowhere else in the world. Little is known about the status and threats to these species, many are in decline and some may disappear from the region in the near future. To establish a baseline from which to work on researching and conserving seabirds, we needed to first understand what they’re up against. 

 

Our research programme is a combination of complementary research projects. Seabird biology is heavily influenced by food-related ecological processes. Research into the diet, foraging and community ecology of seabirds, in conjunction with assessment of population dynamics and physiological responses to environmental conditions, presents a viable and cost-effective method for assessing long-term changes to the Gulf’s marine ecosystem across broad spatial scales. 

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Current projects are funded through the G.I.F.T Initiative with matching funding from the University of Auckland, The Department of Conservation's Conservation Services Programme and the Birds New Zealand Research Fund.

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Check out the RESOURCES page for some of our publications.