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Dark ash-gray petrel of cold southern seas.
Not listed
Indigenous: Short-Billed Petrel, Little Black Petrel
At a glance
FamilyShearwaters and Petrels
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from October to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Hichem MACHOUK
Range map
Range map
20visible hotspots
25visible 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
Small- and stout-bodied overall, but with a large, “puffy”-looking head. Note underwing patterning, with a pale “shoulder” separated from pale-based primaries by a broad, diffuse dark bar. Flies quickly and strongly, often arcing up to impressive heights above the waves on angled, sharply kinked wings. Can be difficult to distinguish from other dark medium-sized petrels at a distance, but note pale patches under the wings, overall gray body coloration, relatively large “cute” head, and flight style. Often forages at night.
Behavior
Nests in loose colonies on the Prince Edward, Crozet, and Kerguelen Islands, as well as Gough Island.
Gallery