Kerguelen Petrel
NameKerguelen Petrel
Common NameKerguelen Petrel
Scientific NameLugensa brevirostris
FamilyProcellariidae
Wingspan (cm)81
Length (cm)34.5
Weight (g)350
Plumage DetailsUniformly dark sooty-grey plumage, appearing almost blackish. The underside of the primary feathers often shows pale shafts, which can be a subtle identification feature in flight. It has a short, stout black bill.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include soft, cooing or purring calls, often described as a repeated 'coo-coo-coo' or 'oo-er-oo', typically heard at breeding colonies at night.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds on subantarctic islands such as Kerguelen, Crozet, Prince Edward, and Gough Islands. It ranges widely across the Southern Ocean, primarily between 30°S and 60°S.
Identifying FeaturesUniformly dark sooty-grey plumage, Short, stout black bill, Pale primary shafts (visible on underwing in flight), Shearing flight pattern low over the water
Description
The Kerguelen Petrel is a medium-sized, uniformly dark seabird of the Southern Ocean. It exhibits a distinctive flight pattern, shearing low over the waves with stiff wings. This species is highly pelagic, only coming to land to breed on remote subantarctic islands.
