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Small gray-and-white gadfly petrel.
Endangered
Indigenous: White-Winged Petrel, White-Winged Fulmar
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 New South Wales from December.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Greg McLachlan
Range map
Range map
239visible hotspots
24042visible 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
Note distinctive dark gray cap extending from the crown down the sides of the face, nape and neck to the wing, contrasting with white face. Upperwings dark gray with distinctive dark ‘M’ that extends across the wings. Underparts all white apart from a broad black band at the bend of the wing which extends towards the tip and diagonally back towards, but not reaching, the body. Two subspecies; breeds off of New South Wales and along the central mountain range of New Caledonia respectively. Migrates east and north across Pacific Ocean after breeding. Distinguished from other gadfly petrels by darker cap, and broader dark band on underwing.
Behavior
Can be seen feeding in association with other seabirds, tuna and dolphins.
Gallery