Rare Bird Sightings

© Paul Kettel (Red-footed booby)

Birds New Zealand manages a reporting and verification process for sightings of rare vagrant bird species, and New Zealand breeding species seen outside their expected range (including species presumed to be extinct).

Sightings of ‘Reportable species’, including species not previously recorded from New Zealand, must be accepted by the Records Appraisal Committee before they become part of the official record of rare bird sightings.

The following pages explain the process, including how to submit records of rare and vagrant birds.