Northern Storm Petrels

Northern storm petrels are a group within the family Hydrobatidae, comprising several species that primarily inhabit the northern hemisphere's marine environments. Like their southern counterparts, these birds are highly adapted to life at sea, with their entire life cycle deeply entwined with the oceanic realm, except for the brief periods spent on land for breeding purposes.

Habitat and Distribution: Northern storm petrels are found in a wide range of oceanic environments in the northern hemisphere, from temperate to subarctic waters. They are pelagic outside the breeding season, spending most of their life flying over the ocean, far from land, except when they return to coastal areas and islands to breed. Their distribution spans across the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, with some species having extraordinarily wide ranges.

Seafaring Abilities: Adapted to a life spent mostly on the wing, their flight is buoyant and they have the ability to hover and pick food items off the water's surface or just below it.

Feeding Strategy: Northern storm petrels feed on a diet of small fish, plankton, and crustaceans, as well as the oily residues and offal found on the surface of the water. They often feed at night, which helps them avoid predators.

Nesting Habits: These birds usually nest in colonies on remote, predator-free islands where they can find crevices, burrows, or under vegetation to lay their eggs, minimizing the risk from terrestrial predators.

Sensory Navigation: They possess a keen sense of smell, which is unusual for birds, assisting them in locating food and navigating over the open ocean.