European Storm-Petrel
NameEuropean Storm-Petrel
Common NameEuropean Storm-Petrel
Scientific NameHydrobates pelagicus
FamilyHydrobatidae
Wingspan (cm)40
Length (cm)14.5
Weight (g)25
Plumage DetailsSooty blackish-brown plumage overall, with a prominent white rump and white flanks. The underwing is dark, and the tail is square-ended.
Vocalization / CallAt sea, a soft 'peep' or 'chirrup'. At breeding colonies, especially at night, it produces a distinctive purring or churring call.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds on islands and coasts of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, from Iceland and Norway south to the Canary Islands. Winters in the South Atlantic, off the coasts of southern Africa.
Identifying FeaturesSmall size, Dark plumage with prominent white rump, Fluttering, bat-like flight close to water, Square tail
Description
A small, dark seabird with a distinctive white rump, the European Storm-Petrel is known for its fluttering, bat-like flight close to the ocean surface. It spends almost its entire life at sea, only coming to land to breed in colonies on remote islands and coastal cliffs.
