Black-bellied Storm-Petrel
NameBlack-bellied Storm-Petrel
Common NameBlack-bellied Storm-Petrel
Scientific NameFregetta tropica
FamilyOceanitidae
Wingspan (cm)47.5
Length (cm)20
Weight (g)55
Plumage DetailsThis storm-petrel has sooty black upperparts, including the head, back, and wings, contrasting with a prominent white rump. Its underparts are white, featuring a distinctive broad black stripe running down the center of the belly from the breast to the vent. The underwings are dark.
Vocalization / CallGenerally silent at sea, the Black-bellied Storm-Petrel produces soft chirps, trills, and purring sounds when at its breeding colonies.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeThe Black-bellied Storm-Petrel has a circumpolar distribution in the Southern Ocean, breeding on various subantarctic islands such as South Georgia, Kerguelen, Crozet, and Peter I Island. During the non-breeding season, it disperses widely, migrating north into tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
Identifying FeaturesSmall size, Distinctive black central stripe on white belly, White rump patch, Bouncing, skipping flight pattern low over the waves, Long legs trailing beyond the tail in flight
Description
The Black-bellied Storm-Petrel is a small, pelagic seabird known for its distinctive flight pattern, often appearing to skip or bounce across the ocean surface. It spends most of its life at sea, only coming to land to breed on remote subantarctic islands. This species feeds by picking small marine organisms from the water's surface while in flight.
