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Rather small, attractively patterned petrel of cold subantarctic waters; not seen from mainland.
Vulnerable
At a glance
FamilyShearwaters and Petrels
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from June.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Kevin Guille
Range map
Range map
36visible hotspots
116visible records
3states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Sometimes accompanies ships, especially near breeding islands and with groups of similar-sized and superficially similar prions. Blue Petrel told from all prion species by dark cap, half collar, and bold white tail tip. Also note differences in flight pattern; often a bit stronger and banks higher in strong winds.
Behavior
Rather small, attractively patterned petrel of cold subantarctic waters; not seen from mainland.
Gallery