In 2022, a full Unmanned aerial vehicle survey of the Bounty archipelago found a total of 573 breeding pairs and estimates the population to consist of approximately 1,733 birds.

[2] These recent estimates are consistent with the only other comparable study from 1978 [3] and suggest that the species' population has remained stable over the past 45 years.

They construct nests on cliff ledges using brown seaweed, and breed during October, with chicks hatching from late November to early December.

Black head, hind neck, lower back, rump, uppertail-coverts, all with metallic blue sheen.

IUCN classifies this species as Vulnerable because its very small population and breeding range renders it susceptible to stochastic events and human impacts.