Slender-billed prion

Pachyptila belcheri

Photo by Phil Woollen (Cape Town Pelagics)

Common name:
slender-billed prion (en); faigão-de-bico-fino (pt); prion de Belcher (fr); petrel-azul de pico delgado; dünnschnabel-sturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species has a restricted breeding distribution in islands of the southern oceans. The main colonies are located in the Falkland Islands, in the Atlantic; in the islands of Crozet and Kerguelen, in the Indian Ocean; and in Isla Noir, in Chile. Non-breeding distribution in all southern seas, as far north as southern Australia and the coasts of Peru and southern Brazil.

Size:
This small-sized seabird is 26 cm long as has a wingspan of 56 cm. They may weigh up to 180 g.

Habitat:
This pelagic species of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic seas may also feed inshore or in shallow offshore waters during the breeding season. They are mostly found between 30º and 65º South.

Diet:
Generally eats larger animals than filter-feeding prions. It feeds mostly on crustaceans, with a heavy dependence on amphipods (particularly Themisto gaudichaudii). It can also take small fish and squid. It mainly forages at night, grabbing prey from the surface or plunge-diving up to a depth of about 3-5 m.

Breeding:
The slender-billed prion nests in burrows under rocks or under low plants. Breeding starts in October. They lay a single egg in the first three weeks of November; this egg is incubated by both parents for 46-47 days. Hatching takes place in late December or early January. The chick is feed by both parents until fledging which takes place 43-54 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)
With a population of 7 million, this seabird has no significant threats at present.