Leach's Storm-Petrel (us-RGV)
From WikiBird
Contents |
Regional Information
Range, Abundance, and Seasonal Variations
Directions and Maps
General Information
Size
Length: 18-21cm (7-8in), Wingspan: 43-48cm (17-19in)
Field Marks
Medium-sized storm-petrel with dark bill with tube on top. Very dark plumage. Gray carpal bar. White rump patch divided or missing(Southern California). Forked tail. Deep wingbeats. Flight style reminiscent of nighthawk. Sexes similar.
Similar species
Most likely to be confused with other storm petrels. Black, Ashy, and Least have dark rumps. Smaller Wilson's has a whiter rump, squared tail, yellow feet often protruding beyond tail, and a different flight style. Band-rumped has an undivided rump patch and slightly different flight style- more direct with shearwater-like glides. Distinctly larger than the European Storm-petrel, which it superficially resembles with its dark plumage and white rump. It can be distinguished from the European Storm-petrel and the Wilson's Storm-petrel by its larger size, forked tail, different rump pattern and longer and flight behaviour. Some north-eastern Pacific Leach's Petrels show all-dark rumps.
Sounds
Feeding & Behavior
It has a fluttering flight, and patters on the water surface as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface. Does not follow ships.
Habitat & Nesting
Pelagic bird only coming ashore to breed. It nests in colonies close to the sea in rock crevices. It lays a single white egg. Strictly nocturnal at the breeding sites to avoid predation by gulls and skuas
Range
Strictly pelagic outside the breeding season, and this, together with its remote breeding sites, makes Leach's Petrel a difficult bird to see from land. Only in storms might this species be pushed into headlands. Breeds on inaccessible islands in the colder northern areas of the Atlantic and Pacific.
Resources
