White-faced Storm-petrel
A species of White-faced Storm Petrel, Also known as Frigate Petrel Scientific name : Pelagodroma marina Genus : White-faced Storm Petrel
White-faced Storm-petrel, A species of White-faced Storm Petrel
Also known as:
Frigate Petrel
Botanical name: Pelagodroma marina
Genus: White-faced Storm Petrel
Content
Description General Info
Photo By JJ Harrison , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
The white-faced storm petrel is 19 to 21 centimetres (7.5 to 8.3 in) in length with a 41 to 44 centimetres (16 to 17 in) wingspan. It has a pale brown to grey back, rump and wings with black flight feathers. It is white below, unlike other north Atlantic petrels, and has a white face with a black eye mask like a phalarope. Its plumage makes it one of the easier petrels to identify at sea.
Size
18-20 cm (7-8 in)
Life Expectancy
10 years
Nest Placement
Ground
Feeding Habits
White-faced Storm-petrel primarily feeds on planktonic crustaceans, surface plankton, small fish, and occasional squid. It employs a distinctive foraging technique, hovering and pattering on the water’s surface to snatch prey. White-faced Storm-petrel also preys on fast-moving sea-skaters and marine insects.
Habitat
White-faced Storm-petrel typically resides in pelagic marine environments, venturing far from land, except when breeding. These birds favor isolated islands for reproduction, where they can be observed in flat, sandy locations with sparse, low-lying plants, as well as on rocky terrains and inclines. The habitat spans broad oceanic regions rather than specific terrestrial ecosystems.
Dite type
Piscivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
The white-faced storm petrel is strictly pelagic outside the breeding season, and this, together with its often-remote breeding sites, makes this petrel a difficult bird to see from land. Only in severe storms might this species be pushed into headlands. There have been a handful of western Europe records from France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It has a direct gliding flight and will patter on the water surface as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface. It is highly gregarious, but does not follow ships. Like most petrels, its walking ability is limited to a short shuffle to the burrow.
Species Status
Widespread throughout its large range, the white-faced storm petrel is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo By JJ Harrison , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Albatrosses and Petrels Family
Hydrobatidae Genus
White-faced Storm Petrel Species
White-faced Storm-petrel