18Blood and ectoparasitic ticks were collected from migratory seabirds in New Zealand, 19including Australasian gannets (n = 13) from two sites, and red-billed gulls (n = 9) and white-20 fronted terns (n = 2) from a third location. Blood smears were screened for parasite presence by 21 microscopy, while DNA from blood samples was subjected to PCR for the presence of tick-22 transmitted protozoan haemoparasites belonging to the order Piroplasmida. Parasites were 23 identified by comparing small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rDNA) gene sequences to related 24 sequences on GenBank. Analyses indicated that nine birds were infected with unknown variants 25 of a Babesia poelea-like parasite (recorded as genotypes I and II), while four harboured a 26 piroplasm that was genetically similar to Babesia kiwiensis. There was no parasite stratification 27 by bird species; both the gannets and gulls were positive for all three parasites, while the terns 28