They formerly bred in both the Seaward and Inland Kaikōura mountains in historic times, and Māori collected the young " muttonbirds" for food. Uniquely amongst seabirds, Hutton's shearwater breed in the sub-alpine to alpine zones, in burrows at an altitude of 1200–1800 m. Hutton's shearwater breeding colony, Shearwater Stream, Seaward Kaikōura Range Puffinus huttoni have long bills, which are adapted to catch prey more or less underwater by plunging from a few meters above the surface or by paddling slowly forwards searching with their head submerged, then diving using partly opened wings for propulsion. Hutton's shearwater feeds in the open ocean largely on small fish and krill, diving up to 20 m. At a breeding colony it has a loud cackling call. A medium-sized (350 g) seabird, with a 75 cm wingspan, it is brown with a white underbelly and brown collar, dark borders to the underwing, dark grey bill, and pinkish dark-webbed feet it can be distinguished from fluttering shearwater by its dark grey "armpits". The bird's name commemorates Frederick Hutton, a former curator of the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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