During Cook’s first voyage specimens probably of this petrel were shot of the East Cape and off the West Coast off the North Island. It was next collected by Dieffenbach about 1840 in
New Zealand and was described by Gray in the second volume of Dieffenbach’s Travels.
Its breeding places were discovered by Reischek on Little Barrier Island in 1882, and by Stead on Codfish Island, off Stewart Island, in 1935.
Cook’s petrel breeds on Little Barrier, Great Barrier and Codfish Islands from October through May when it migrates to the eastern Pacific from California to Chile.
Maori collected the young Titi for food and esteemed the flesh of this species above that of other sea birds. Long distances were traversed to the breeding grounds which were carefully preserved. A method commonly used by Maori for taking Titi was to light fires to attract them when on their way to their breeding places and to spread nets on hilltops in line of flight.
