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.
At a glance
Sounds
Range map
Range map
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
Prions are small and typically eat just zooplankton but, as members of the Procellariiformes, they share certain identifying features. They have nasal passages, called naricorns , that attach to the upper bill, as opposed to the nostrils on the albatross which are on the sides of the bill. The diet consists mainly of planktonic crustaceans and tiny fish, which they catch by either seizing prey while on the surface or by dipping their bill into the water while in flight.
Gallery