Conservation rankings are
from the preliminary guidelines set out by BirdLife International and posted
to Seabirds Internet discussion group by John Cooper.
Storm-petrels |
| Small delicate seabirds
distinguished by having a united nostril with a single openning and relatively
short round-tipped wings. The distinctive wing shape arises from the large
size of the 'hand' and the fact that P8 and P9 are longer than P7 or P10.
Storm-petrels are so unlike other tubenoses that Linnaeus first classified
the European Storm-Petrel as a passinerine! All species are highly pelagic
and poorly known at sea. The identification of several species is fairly
difficult at sea and this hampers a full understanding of their marine distribution.
On land, crouch on bent legs and move with shuffling gait. In the air, the
flight is erratic with swoops, bounces, flutters and skimming motions. Most
feed on planktonic organisms (crustaceans, molluscs, small fish etc.) and
a few species will follow ships, feeding in the wake for disturbed organisms
or scraps. Depending on species, may be solitary or gregarious at sea. Churring
calls are a notable feature of breeding colonies. Many species have a white rump, which varies between closely related species and is thought to serve an important role in inter-specific recognition. Most species feed by picking at the water surface. Storm-petrels are generally divided into two groups: the subfamily Oceanitinae long-legged birds of the southern hemisphere, and Hydrobatinae which are shorter legged an most numerous in the northern hemisphere. The Oceanitinae are characterized by short wings with only 10 secondaries, more or less square tails, elongated skulls and tarsi longer than the toes. The Hydrobatinae have longer wings than the Oceanitinae , wedge-shaped or forked tails, short skulls and bills, tarsi about equal length to the toes. Tend to walk rather than hop along the surface of the water. |
Oceanites oceanicus Wilson's
Storm-Petrel
O. o. oceanicus
O. o. exasperatus
Also known as Flat-clawed Storm-petrel, Yellow-webbed Storm-petrel, Mother Carey's
Chicken
Oceanites gracilis White-vented
Storm-Petrel (DATA DEFICIENT)
O. g. gracilis (Elliot's Storm-petrel)
O. g. galapagoensis
Also known as Graceful Storm-petrel
Garrodia nereis Grey-backed
Storm-Petrel
Monotypic
Pelagodroma marina White-faced
Storm-Petrel
P. m. hypoleuca
P. m. eadesi
P. m. marina
P. m. dulciae
P. m. maoriana
P. m. albiclunis
Also known as Frigate Petrel, White-breasted Storm-Petrel, Storm-Petrel or Mother
Carey's Chicken(!)
Fregetta tropica Black-bellied
Storm-Petrel
F. t. tropica
F. t. melanoleuca
Also known as Gould's Storm-petrel or Striped Storm-petrel
Fregetta grallaria White-bellied
Storm-Petrel
F. g. grallaria
F. g. leucogaster
F. g. segethi
F. g. titan
Also known as Vieillot's Storm-petrel or Broad-tailed Storm-Petrel
Nesofregetta fuliginosa
Polynesian Storm-Petrel
Monotypic
Also known as White-throated Storm-petrel or Samoan Storm-petrel
Hydrobates pelagicus European
Storm-petrel
Monotypic(?)
Also known as British Storm-petrel
Oceanodroma microsoma Least
Storm-petrel
Monotypic
Oceanodroma tethys Wedge-rumped
Storm-petrel (NEAR THREATENED) O. t. tethys
O. t. kelsalli
Also known as Galapagos Storm-petrel
Oceanodroma castro Band-rumped
Storm-petrel
Monotypic although there may be at least one undescribed subspecies
Also known as Madeiran Storm-petrel or Harcourt's Storm-petrel
Oceanodroma leucorhoa Leach's
Storm-petrel
O. l. leucorhoa
O. l. chapmani
O. l. socorrensis (Socorro Storm-petrel)
O. l. cheimonestes
Also known as Fork-tailed Storm-petrel, Leach's Fork-tailed Storm-petrel or
Leach's Petrel.
Subspecific taxonomy complex and confused.
Oceanodroma monorhis Swinhoe's
Storm-petrel (NEAR THREATENED)
Monotypic
Oceanodroma macrodactyla Guadalupe Storm-petrel (CRITICAL!? - ALMOST CERTAINLY EXTINCT)
Oceanodroma tristrami Tristram's
Storm-petrel (NEAR THREATENED)
Monotypic
Also known as Sooty Storm-petrel(!) or Stejneger's Storm-petrel
Oceanodroma markhami Markham's Storm-petrel (DATA DEFICIENT)
Oceanodroma matsudairae
Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel (DATA DEFICIENT)
Monotypic
Also known as Sooty Storm-petrel
Oceanodroma melania Black
Storm-Petrel
Monotypic
Oceanodroma homochroa Ashy
Storm-Petrel (NEAR THREATENED)
Monotypic
Oceanodroma hornbyi Ringed
Storm-Petrel (DATA DEFICIENT)
Monotypic
Also known as Hornby's Storm-petrel
Oceanodroma furcata Fork-tailed
Storm-Petrel
O. f. furcata
O. f. plumbea
Also known as Grey Storm-petrel
Diving Petrels |
| Family comprises four
species found only in the cold or cool seas of the southern hemisphere (Antarctic
Convergence and Subantarctic zone). The limited fossil record and distribution
of extant species suggests they may have evolved within or near their present
range. There are striking structural and behavioural similarities to the
small alcids of the northern hemisphere (e.g. Dovekie or Little Auk) and
may represent a great example of convergent evolution. Besides several morphological
simiarities both Diving Petrels and small alcids produce white eggs presumably
for better localization in the dark. Diving Petrels are short, compact birds with very dense plumage. The tail and wings are both short, the latter being rather paddel-like presumably an adaptation to propulsion under water. Primarily coastal rather than pelagic. Seen at sea either singly or in small groups. At rest, float high on the water. In flight, whirr along in straight lines close to the water, traveling straight through waves without hesitation. Wing beats faster than Little Shearwater. When disturbed either dive or make a short flight then dive. Strokes underwater resemble those of alcids, bending the wings at the carpal joint rather than flapping like penguins. Sadly, easily attracted to lights and will travel down the beam of a torch or flashlight sometimes fatally dashing themselves on the ground. Also tend to fly into flames! Hence the Falkland Island name - 'Firebirds'.... The Diving Petrels display a remarkable lack of morphological diversity and three of the four recognized species are monotypic. Murphy considered exsul (the Kerguelen or Subantarctic Diving-petrel) a full-species but more recent biochemical studies include exsul within urinatrix. Sympatric nesting of P. georgicus and P. urinatrix without interbreeding argues strongly for seperate-species status. Not thought to travel far from nesting grounds although adults may vanish for several weeks following the fledging of the young, presumably to undergo a period of molt. LiteratureRyan, P. G., & D. C. Nel. (1999) Foraging behaviour of diving petrels Pelecanoides. Emu 99: 72-74. |
Pelecanoides garnotii Peruvian
Diving-petrel (ENDANGERED)
Monotypic
Pelecanoides magellani Magellanic
Diving-petrel
Monotypic
Pelecanoides georgicus South Georgia Diving-petrel
Monotypic
Also known as Georgian Diving-petrel
Pelecanoides urinatrix Common
Diving-petrel
P. u. urinatrix
P. u. chathamensis
P. u. exsul (Kerguelen or Subantarctic Diving-petrel)
P. u. dacunhae
P. u. berard (Falkland or Berard's Diving-petrel)
P. u. coppingeri
Also known as Tristan Diving-petrel, Smaller Diving Petrel or Diving Petrel