Christmas shearwater

Puffinus nativitatis

Photo by Duncan Wright (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Christmas shearwater (en); pardela-de-Natal (pt); puffin de la Nativité (fr); pardela de la Navidad (es); weihnachts-sturmtaucher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species breeds in remote islands in the central Pacific, from the Hawaiian Islands, south to Phoenix Island and Kiritimati Island in Kiribati, and east to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island. Outside the breeding season they ranges across the Pacific, as far as the coasts of Mexico, northern Chile and the Bonin Islands of Japan.

Size:
These birds are 33-38 cm long and have a wingspan of 83-90 cm. They weigh 270-415 g.

Habitat:
The Christmas shearwater breeds in remote oceanic islands, in areas with dense vegetation and rocky crevices. They forage over pelagic water, occuring over warm waters and generally keeping away from land except near colonies.

Diet:
They usually forage in association with other seabirds and consuming prey that has been driven to the surface by schools of predatory fish such as skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis. They mainly take larval fish and squids, also taking some crustaceans.

Breeding:
Christmas shearwaters can breed all year round, varying among different parts of their range. They nest on a shallow depression in the ground or a simple nest of small twigs and leaves, where the female lays 1 white egg. The egg is incubated by both parents for 50-54 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 100-115 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large range and the global population is estimated at 100.000-300.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Great shearwater

Ardenna gravis

Photo by Alejandro Torés (Seabirds Galicia)

Common name:
great shearwater (en); pardela-de-barrete (pt); puffin majeur (fr); pardela capirotada (es); großer sturmtaucher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species only breeds on Nightingale Island, Inaccessible Island and Gough island in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, and on Kidney Island in the Falklands. Outside the breeding season they migrate north to winter along the coasts of North America and Europe, as far north as the Arctic Circle.

Size:
These birds are 43-51 cm long and have a wingspan of 100-118 cm. They weigh 670-995 g.

Habitat:
The great shearwater is a pelagic species, spending most of their life in offshore and pelagic waters. They only come to land to breed, in remote volcanic islands, in areas of sloping ground among tussock grass or Phylica woodlands.

Diet:
They feed in groups, hunting fishes such as mackerel and capelin, squids such as Illex illecebrosus, and crustaceans, either by catching prey from the surface or by plunge-diving. They also take fish offal from fishing boats.

Breeding:
Great shearwaters breed in October-April. They are monogamous and usually nest in dense colonies of up to many thousands of pairs. They excavate a burrow in the ground, where the female lays a single white eggs which is incubated by both parents for 53-57 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 85-120 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large range and the global population is estimated to be over 15 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. However, several thousand adults and  about 50.000 chicks are harvested every year in Tristan da Cunha and there is no research to validate whether these levels of harvesting are sustainable.

Antarctic petrel

Thalassoica antarctica

Photo by François Guerraz (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Antarctic petrel (en); pintado-antárctico (pt); pétrel antarctique (fr); petrél antártico (es); Antarktiksturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species breeds along the coasts of Antarctica, as well as in nearby islands. They forage over the Southern Ocean, as far north as Tierra del Fuego and sometimes near southern New Zealand and South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 40-46 cm long and have a wingspan of 100-110 cm. They weigh 510-756 g.

Habitat:
The Antarctic petrel nests on snow-free cliffs and rock faces, mainly in coastal or on offshore islands, but it has also been found to nest up to 250 km inland. They forage on open waters, mainly in the vicinity of pack ice and especially in areas with icebergs.

Diet:
They hunt by surface-seizing, or less often by diving, mainly taking krill Euphausia superba, but also fishes such as Pleuragramma antarcticum, crustaceans, and squids such as Gonatus antarcticus.

Breeding:
Antarctic petrels breed in November-March. They are mostly monogamous and breed in colonies of a few nests to over 200.000 pairs. They nest in clefts, crevices and ledges on sloping rocky cliffs in snow-free areas, more than 6 m above sea level. The female lays a single egg, which is incubated by both parents for 45-50 days. The chick is fed and brooded by both parents, fledging 42-47 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large range and the global population is estimated at 10-20 million individuals. The population trend is believed to be stable.

Black-winged petrel

Pterodroma nigripennis

Photo by Nigel Voaden (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
black-winged petrel (en); freira-d'asa-preta (pt); pétrel à ailes noires (fr); petrel alinegro (es); schwarzflügel-sturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species breeds in the south-western Pacific, from Lord Howe Island, Australia, and eastern Australia in the west, New Caledonia in the north, the Chatham Islands, New Zealand in the south and Austral Islands, French Polynesia in the east. Outside the breeding season it migrates to the northern and eastern Pacific as far as northern Japan, Mexico and Peru.

Size:
These birds are 28-30 cm long and have a wingspan of 63-71 cm. They weigh 140-200 g.

Habitat:
The black-winged petrel is highly pelagic, leaving in the open seas and only coming to land to breed. They breed in oceanic islands.

Diet:
They feed mostly on cephalopods and prawns, but also sea insects Halobates sp., which are
caught mainly by surface-seizing and dipping, but also pattering. This species is often recorded feeding in association with other Procellariiformes.

Breeding:
Black-winged petrels breed in December-May. They breed in colonies on oceanic islands, nesting in burrows that they excavate on high ground inland amongst scrubs or tussock grasses. The female lays a single white egg, which is incubated by both parents for 45-46 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 84-85 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large range and the global population is estimated at 8-10 million individuals. Despite an ongoing range expansion, population is suspected to be in decline owing to predation by invasive species.

Parkinson's petrel

Procellaria parkinsoni

Photo by Ken Havard (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Parkinson's petrel (en); petrel-de-Parkinson (pt); puffin de Parkinson (fr); pardela de Parkinson (es); schwarzsturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species only breeds on Great and Little Barrier Islands, in New Zealand, but wander over the southern and central Pacific as far as the American coast from California to northern Peru.

Size:
These birds are about 45 cm long and have a wingspan of 110-115 cm. They weigh 680-720 g.

Habitat:
The Parkinson's petrel is a pelagic hunter, mainly foraging in offshore oceanic waters. They breed in virgin podocarp and mixed broadleaf forests, and also in alpine tussock grasslands, at altitudes of 500-1.200 m.

Diet:
They mainly hunt squids, but also tunicates, crustaceans and fishes. They regularly associates with dolphins, following them in order to scavenge dead fish from the water, and also feed on scraps from fishing trawlers.

Breeding:
Parkinson's petrels are monogamous and pair for life, breeding in October-June. They nest in colonies, each pair nesting in a burrow in the forest floor where the female lays a single eggs. The egg is incubated by both parents for 56-57 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 14-15 weeks after hatching. They reach sexual maturity at 6 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a small breeding range and a global population of 3.300 individuals. Overall, declines may have occurred in the global population because on Little Barrier the population was reduced by predation to only 50-100 pairs. On Great Barrier, the population is thought to be stable, and a slow increase is suspected on Little Barrier in recent years. Introduced cats decimated the Little Barrier population, killing up to 100% of fledglings in some years, and also taking some adults. Rats, stray dogs, feral cats and feral pigs may also be a threat on Great Barrier, while some birds are caught by commercial long-liners and recreational fishers. Conservation actions have included the eradication of cats and rats in Little Barrier, together with the translocation of fledglings from Great Barrier to Little Barrier to boost the local populations. Recently, feral cat trapping was undertaken on Great Barrier Island, together with a rodent control programme.

Southern giant-petrel

Macronectes giganteus

Photo by J.J. Harrison (Wikipedia)

Common name:
southern giant-petrel (en); petrel-gigante-do-sul (pt); pétrel géant (fr); abanto-marino antártico (es); riesensturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species is found in the southern oceans, from Antarctica north to southern Australia, southern Africa and southern South America. They breed in sub-Antarctic islands and along the coasts of Antarctica, namely on the Falkland Islands, Staten Island and islands off the Chubut Province of Argentina, South Georgia, the South Orkney and South Shetland Islands, islands near the Antarctic Continent and Peninsula, Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Islands, Heard Island and Macquarie Island, Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha, Diego Ramirez and Isla Noir, Kerguelen Islands, and four localities on the Antarctic Continent including Terre Adélie.

Size:
These birds are the largest petrels in the World, at 84-99 cm long and with a wingspan of 180-205 cm. Males tend to be larger, weighing 4,2-4,9 kg while the females weigh 3,4-3,8 kg.

Habitat:
The southern giant-petrel are pelagic birds, foraging in the open sea as well as in coastal waters, but also use sandy and rocky intertidal areas. They breed in sub-Antarctic grasslands, sea cliffs bare rocky areas, manly in oceanic islands.

Diet:
They feed mainly on seal and penguin carcasses, also taking offal, refuse from ships and discarded fish. They also hunt krill, amphipod crustaceans and squids, as well as penguins and other seabirds.

Breeding:
These birds breed in October-March. They form loose colonies of up to 300 pairs, with each nest consisting of a cup on the ground, made of grass, moss and gravel. There the female lays a single white eggs, which is incubated by both parents for 55-66 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 104-132 after hatching. The juveniles spend their first years at sea, on an extensive migration in which they often circumnavigate the Southern Ocean. They reach sexual maturity at 6-10 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 65.000-100.000 individuals. The population has undergone a small decline over the last 6 decades. At present, different populations have different trends, but overall the southern giant-petrel population is believed to be increasing. Longline fisheries cause significant mortality on this species, but improved mitigation in many longline fisheries appears to have reduced bycatch levels. Localised decreases have also been attributed to reductions in southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina, which forms an important source of carrion, human disturbance and persecution.

Northern fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

Photo by Jörg Hempel (Wikipedia)

Common name:
northern fulmar (en); fulmar-glacial (pt); fulmar boréal (fr); fulmar boreal (es); eissturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species is found in the northern Atlantic, northern Pacific and Adacent areas of the Arctic ocean, ranging as far south as the British isles, Massachusetts, northern California and northern Japan. There are breeding colonies are mostly located in islands.

Size:
These birds are 45-50 cm long and have a wingspan of 100-115 cm. They weigh 700-900 g.

Habitat:
The northern fulmar is a pelagic predator, foraging on oceanic waters, mainly over continental shelves and along the limit of the continental shelves. They are found from the pack ice of Arctic waters to temperate waters. They breed in rocky islands and rocky cliffs up 1 km inland.

Diet:
They hunt fishes, squids and large zooplankton such as amphipods. They also take discarded fish from fishing vessels and carrion including whales, walruses and seal blubber.

Breeding:
Northern fulmars are monogamous and mate for life. They breed in April-October. The nest is a simple scrape on a grassy ledge or a saucer of vegetation on the ground, sometimes lined with bits of vegetation. There the female lays a single white egg, which is incubated by both parents for 47-53 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 49-58 days after hatching. They reach sexual maturity at 5-12 years of age and may live for over 50 years.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 15-30 million individuals. The population in the northern Atlantic has increased in recent decades and also expanded in range, possibly as a result of the increased food availability from fish discards by fishing vessels. Pollution and mortality due to entanglement in fishing gear may be a problem in same areas.

Wedge-tailed shearwater

Puffinus pacificus

Photo by Tony Morris (Flickr)

Common name:
wedge-tailed shearwater (en); pardela-do-Pacífico (pt); puffin fouquet (fr); pardela del Pacífico (es); keilschwanz-sturmtaucher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species is found throughout the tropical water of the Indian and Pacific oceans, roughly between 35º S and 35º N. They breed on a wide range of oceanic islands, both in the pacific and the Indian, as well as in the west and east coasts of Australia.

Size:
These birds are 46-47 cm long and have a wingspan of 97-99 cm. They weigh around 400 g.

Habitat:
The wedge-tailed shearwater forages in pelagic, tropical and sub-tropical waters, typically preferring waters with a surface temperature above 21º C. They mainly breed in
vegetated islands, atolls and cays, but also on continental coasts in Australia.

Diet:
They feed on pelagic fish, squids and crustacean, the most common prey being goatfishes such as Decapterus macrosoma and the Symplecoteuthis sp. squids.

Breeding:
Wedge-tailed shearwaters are monogamous with pair bonds lasting for several years. Northern hemisphere birds begin breeding around February, while southern hemisphere birds begin around September. They nest in a burrow excavated on flat or flattish areas with dense grassy and tussocky vegetation , or sometimes below the cover of trees and scrubs. The female lays a single egg which is incubated by both sexes for about 50 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 103-115 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated to be above 5,2 million individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to unsustainable levels of exploitation, persecution, predation by invasive species and the over-exploitation of tuna fisheries.

Westland petrel

Procellaria westlandica

Photo by Mark Jobling (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Westland petrel (en); petrel-de-Westland (pt); puffin du Westland (fr); pardela de Westland (es); Westlandsturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae

Range:
This species is endemic to New Zealand, only breeding in coastal foothills at Punakaiki, South Island. Outside the breeding season they spread over a large area of the southern Pacific Ocean, from the coast of south-eastern Australia to the coast of Chile.

Size:
These large petrels are 50-55 cm long and have a wingspan of 135-140 cm. They weigh 0,8-1,2 kg.

Habitat:
They breed in densely forested hill and coastal cliff, up to an altitude of 250 m. They mainly forage on the open ocean, but also in intertidal areas and in sub-tidal coastal kelp forests and seagrasses.

Diet:
The Westland petrel hunts cephalopods, fishes and crustaceans, also following trawlers to scavange fishing waste.

Breeding:
These birds breed in May-November. They form breeding colonies, with each pair building a large, cavernous burrows, up to 2 m long, close to steep slopes, cliff edges or trees from where they can take off. There the female lays a single egg which is incubated for 57-65 days. The chicks fledge 20-40 days after hatching and then head out to the open ocean, not returning to the colony for 5 years. They reach sexual maturity at 10 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
The Westland petrel has a very small breeding range and a global population estimated at 10.700 individuals. The population is believed to be stable, but there are several significant threats, namely habitat loss due to mining and agriculture and nest predation by introduced mammals such as cats and dogs and the native weka Gallirallus australis. Other threats include by-catch by long-line fishing vessels, and increased tourism.

Bulwer's petrel

Bulweria bulwerii

Photo by Martin Lofgren (Wild Bird Gallery)

Common name:
Bulwer's petrel (en); alma-negra (pt); pétrel de Bulwer (fr); petrel de Bulwer (es); Bulwersturmvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae


Range:
The Bulwer's petrel is a pantropical species, being found in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Breeding sites include the eastern Atlantic from the Azores, Portugal to Cape Verde, and the Pacific from eastern China and the Bonin Islands, Japan, east to the Hawaii and the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia.


Size:
These birds are 25-29 cm long and have a wingspan of 70-90 cm. They weigh 80-130 g.


Habitat:
They are marine and highly pelagic, usually being found far from land foraging in warm oceanic waters. They breed in small rocky islands.


Diet:
The Bulwer's petrel mainly feeds on mesopelagic prey, particularly luminescent species such as myctophid and sternoptychid fishes and squids such as Pyroteuthis margaritifera. They also eat planktonic life forms. They mostly forage at night, when these deep sea species visit the surface of the sea.


Breeding:
In the Atlantic they breed in April-October. They are colonial, nesting in natural burrows, crevices, cracks or caves, under debris or vegetation cover, usually about 1 m deep. There the female lays 1 egg which is incubated by both parents for 42-46 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 60-65 days after hatching. Each pair raises a single chicks per year.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
The Bulwer's petrel has a relatively large breeding range and a global population estimated at 500.000-1.000.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Trindade petrel

Pterodroma arminjoniana

Photo by Steve Howell (Seabirding Pelagic Trips)

Common name:
Trindade petrel (en); grazina-de-Trindade (pt); pétrel de Trindade (fr); petrel de la Trindade (es); Südtrinidad-sturmvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae


Range:
This species is only found breeding on the islands of Trindade and Martim Vaz, off the coast of Brazil, but they cover wide areas of the southern Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans while searching for food.


Size:
These birds are 35-39 cm long and have a wingspan of 88-102 cm. They weigh around 320 g.


Habitat:
Trindade petrels breed in rocky islands and forage out in the open sea.


Diet:
They mostly eat small fishes and cephalopods.


Breeding:
The Trindade petrel can breed all year round, but with a peak in October-April. They form dense colonies, nesting in crevices and other cliff-cavities, in the highest parts of the islands. The female lays a single eggs, which is incubated by both parents for 49-54 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 9-11 weeks after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a very small breeding range and the global population is estimated at 1.130-15.000 individuals. The population is believed to be stable as there are no major threats, but the small breeding range and population size makes the Trindade petrel susceptible to stochastic events and future human impacts that could arise from naval activities and the spread of wind turbines.

Cory's shearwater

Calonectris borealis

Photo by Gérard Souty (Espaço Talassa)

Common name:

Cory's shearwater (en); cagarro (pt); puffin cendré (fr); pardela cenicienta (es); gelbschnabel-sturmtaucher (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Procellariiformes

Family Procellariidae

Range:

This species breeds on the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands, as well as in small offshore islands on the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Outside the breeding season they spread as far north as the British Islands, as far west as the coast of North America and as far south as the coasts of South Africa and northern Argentina.

Size:

The Cory's shearwater is 45-56 cm long and has a wingspan of 112-126 cm. These birds weigh 560-1060 g.

Habitat:

They mostly breed in barren offshore islands, occupying cliffs, caves and boulder fields, and forage at sea, both in coastal and oceanic waters.

Diet:

The Cory's shearwater mostly feeds on squid, fish (namely boar fish Capros aper, trumpet fish Macrorhamphosus, sauries like Scomberesox saurus and Nanychthys simulans, horse mackerel Trachurus picturatus and chub mackerel Scomber japonicus) and crustaceans. They are regularly attracted to trawlers to feed on offal.

Breeding:

They breed in March-November. They nest in colonies, often with other seabirds, building the nest at the end of a burrow or rock crevice, which may measure up to 1 m in length. There the female lays 1 white egg which is incubated by both parents for 52-62 days, each taking shifts of 6-8 days while the other goes out fishing. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 90-105 days after hatching. These birds are very long-lived and typically only start breeding at 7-13 years of age.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large range and a global population estimated at 502.000 individuals. The population is believed to be incresing due predominantly to a population recovery at Selvagem Grande, the ost important breeding colony located between Madeira and the Canary Islands. Populations in the Azores are suspected to be declining. Curent threats include introduced mammalian predators, such as the black rat Rattus rattus, poaching of chicks, fledgling mortality caused by artificial lights and by-catch on longline fishing gear. Predator control and regulations to longline fishing are currently under-way in order to minimize these threats.

Snow petrel

Pagodroma nivea

(Photo from Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

snow petrel (en); petrel-das-neves (pt); pétrel des neiges (fr); petrel blanco (es); schneesturmvogel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Procellariiformes

Family Procellariidae

Range:

This species is confined to the pack ice of Antarctica and the adjacent Antarctic seas. They breed in the islands of South Georgia, South Shetland, South Sandwich, South Orkney, Bouvet and Scott, and in several location on the Antarctic mainland.

Size:

The snow petrel is 30-40 cm long and has a wingspan 75-95 cm. They weigh up to 570 g.

Habitat:

They are typically found over the pack ice or out at sea, often seen flying in between icebergs. Although mostly staying near the breeding colonies, they may wander the seas north to 55º S.

Diet:

They mostly take their food on the wing, but will also forage from the edges of the pack ice. They feed mainly on fish, some cephalopods, mollusks and krill as well as carrion.

Breeding:

Snow petrels breed in November-May. The nests are simple pebble-lined scrapes usually in a deep rock crevices with overhanging protection. The female lay a single white egg which is incubated by both parents for 41-49 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 7 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

With a population of 4 million and a very large breeding range, the species is not considered threatened at present.

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.