The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection says a Bulwer's Petrel was found exhausted at the Oakey Aviation Base a fortnight ago but died a day after it was found.
Inland seabird sightings have grown since wind and rain from ex-tropical cyclone Oswald blew across a large part of Queensland in late January.
"With strong winds following cyclones, you often get seabirds ending up in the inshore areas, right along the coast," says Ian Gynther, senior conservation officer of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
"But what showed up at Oakey was the last seabird you'd expect to see. It had never been seen in Queensland before."
"It's only a tiny thing. When they're not breeding they spend their whole life at sea, you could imagine the waves and wind they put up with at the best of times."
"Its body was donated to the Queensland museum. It becomes a very valuable specimen for research and studying in the future. So it didn't completely die in vain."
Ian Gynther says after weather events like we expected in late January, people should keep a sharp eye out for animals that appear to be struggling and look like they're out of place.
"Get them to wildlife carers. Get them to vets. Those people will be able to work out what they are."
"This is a prime example of how our knowledge of a bird that's seldom recorded has been greatly increased by somebody with sharp eyes at Oakey."
Michael Atzeni, president of the Toowoomba Bird Observers Club, says the last fortnight has been a busy time for bird watchers in the region.
"To see seabirds flying around paddocks and over local dams was a once in a lifetime opportunity for most people."
"It was bitter-sweet, because these birds were starving, exhausted, and lost."
Even though the rare Petrel died, a number of seabirds birds survived their inland adventure.
"The good news is Trish LeeHong, our Murphy's Creek wildlife carer, managed to rehydrate a couple of the Shear Waters and Sooty Terns," Michael Atzeni explains.
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