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The smallest of the six prion species, the fairy prion is often seen making shallow dives or seizing food from the surface in large flocks at sea.
Not listed
Indigenous: Dove Petrel, Blue Petrel, Whale-Bird, Short-Billed Prion, Fairy Dove Petrel, Gould Petrel
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 May to July.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Todd Mark
Range map
Range map
468visible hotspots
4322visible records
2states
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
It is very similar to other prion species, with a dark “M'' stretching across the back from wingtip to wingtip and a black tip to the upper tail. Fairy prions can be carefully distinguished by their smaller size, poorly defined facial markings, and broad, dark tip to the upper tail. The Fulmar Prion, the most similar species, is separated by a shorter bill that is more massive, especially at the tip.
Behavior
The smallest of the six prion species, the fairy prion is often seen making shallow dives or seizing food from the surface in large flocks at sea.
Gallery