- Hydrobates pelagicus
Identification
15-16cm.
- Dark plumage
- White rump
- Dark iris
- Dark bill
- Dark legs and feet
Distribution
As a breeding bird this species is confined to the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean with the bulk of the population in colonies on the west coasts of Britain and Ireland. There are smaller colonies to the north in southern Iceland; the Faroes and Lofoten Islands off Norway. Also breeds in the Channel Islands and off north-west and western France. In the Mediterranean there are colonies on the Balearics, and off southern Spain, Corsica and Sardinia, Sicily and Malta and there is a single colony in the Aegean.
Breeding formerly occurred off Tunisia and has been reported from Canary Islands and Desertas but present status there is little-known. May also breed in Morocco.
It is not known where they spend the winter season.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- pelagicus in the Atlantic
- militensis in the Mediterranean
Habitat
Breeds mainly on islands, sometimes on undisturbed mainland coasts.
Pelagic when not breeding and rarely seen from shore, only seen on land after being storm-driven.
Behaviour
Breeding
Breeds colonially in burrows and rock crevices. A single white egg is laid. Nocturnal when visiting nest.
Diet
The diet includes plankton taken from the sea's surface.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Hydrobates pelagicus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) European Storm Petrel. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/European_Storm_Petrel