Petrels and Shearwaters

Order: PROCELLARIIFOMES - Family: PROCELLARIIDAE

95 Species currently existing - 11 in region + 5 vagrants

The Procellariidae family, part of the order Procellariiformes, encompasses a diverse group of seabirds commonly referred to as the true petrels, including various species of petrels and shearwaters. These birds are highly adapted to life at sea, spending much of their life flying over the ocean, except during breeding seasons when they return to land to nest. Members of the Procellariidae family share several key characteristics:

Size: They range from the small storm petrels, measuring as little as 20 cm in length, to the much larger giant petrels, which can reach up to 100 cm.

Plumage: Generally, they have a predominantly dark or grey plumage, although some species have lighter underparts.

Bill: They are known for their distinctive bills, which are hooked at the end with tubular nostrils on either side. This unique structure is part of an olfactory system that's highly developed, allowing them to locate food sources, such as squid, fish, and zooplankton, across vast ocean distances.

Feet: Their feet are webbed, aiding in swimming, but they use their wings more for propulsion underwater.

Flight: Their flight style is characterized by stiff wings and a mix of gliding and flapping, efficiently using the wind currents above the ocean's surface to travel long distances with minimal energy expenditure.

Habitat and Distribution: The Procellariidae family is widespread, found across all the world's oceans. These birds rarely come to land except to breed, often on remote islands where they are less vulnerable to predators. They nest in colonies, with some species burrowing nests into the soil while others use crevices in rocks or even tree nests.

Diet and Foraging
Their diet consists mainly of fish, squid, and crustaceans. Some species are known to scavenge and will follow fishing boats for offal. Procellariidae are capable foragers; they can locate food over vast, empty expanses of ocean, partly thanks to their keen sense of smell.

Reproduction: They are generally monogamous and exhibit high site fidelity, returning to the same nesting site year after year. Breeding seasons vary among species, but they typically lay a single egg, which both parents incubate. The chick rearing is a protracted process, with fledging periods lengthy compared to many other birds, reflecting the rich but unpredictable food supply of their oceanic foraging grounds.

Cape Petrel

Daption capense
Spanish Name: Damero del Cabo

Size: 16 in | 41 cm
Habitat: Off Isla Gorgona
Height: Sea level

Photo: © JJ Harrison eBird S56433053 Macaulay Library ML 160707941

Gould’s Petrel

Pterodroma leucoptera
Spanish Name: Petrel de Gould

Size: 12 in | 30 cm
Habitat: Pacific Waters
Height: Sea level

Photo: © JJ Harrison eBird S102190189 Macaulay Library ML 413833021

Galapagos Petrel

Pterodroma phaeopygia
Spanish Name: Petrel Ecuatoriano

Size: 16.5 in | 42 cm
Habitat: Around Malpelo Waters
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Jonah Benningfield eBird S41544061 Macaulay Library ML 115435371

Juan Fernandez Petrel

Pterodroma externa
Spanish Name: Petrel Juan Fernández

Size: 17 in | 43 cm
Habitat: Ar<ound Malpelo Island
Height: Sea level

Photo: Fernando Díaz I Albatross Birding Chile eBird S51105185 Macaulay Library ML 137597211

Black-capped Petrel

Ptrrtodroma hasitata
Spanish Name: Petrel Antillano

Size: 17 in | 43 cm
Habitat: Off Guajira peninsula
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Brian Sullivan eBird S46404207 Macaulay Library ML 104206781

White-chinned Petrel

Procellaria aequinoctialis
Spanish Name: Pardela Barbiblanca

Size: 22 in | 58 cm
Habitat: Offshore Pacific waters
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Luke Seitz eBird S9098715 Macaulay Library ML 61071351

Westland Petrel

Procellaria westlandica
Spanish Name: Pardela de Westland

Size: 21 in | 53 cm
Habitat: Pacific waters
Height: < m

Photo: © Luke Seitz eBird S9098715 Macaulay Library ML 61071421

Black Petrel (Parkinson’s Petrel)

Procellaria parkinsoni
Spanish Name: Pardela de Parkinson

Size: 18 in | 46 cm
Habitat: North of Equator
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Cameron Eckert eBird S42827874 Macaulay Library ML 90397161

Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Ardenna pacifica
Spanish Name: Pardela colicuña

Size: 19 in | 48 cm
Habitat: Pacific waters near Nariño
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Brian Sullivan eBird S31755581 Macaulay Library ML 36092811

Sooty Shearwater

Ardenna grisea
Spanish Name: Pardela Oscura

Size: 18 in | 46 cm
Habitat: In flocks pelagic Pacific water<
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Darren Clark eBird S59289748 Macaulay Library ML 174404171

Pink-footed Shearwater

Ardenna creatopus
Spanish Name: Pardela Patirrosada

Size: 19 in | 48 cm
Habitat: Pacific ocean
Height: Sea level

Photo: © Brian Sullivan eBird S59238262 Macaulay Library ML 174523471

Cory’s Shearwater

Calonectris borealis
Spanish Name: Pardela Cenicienta

Size: 21 in | 53 cm
Habitat: Caribbean coast
Height: Sea level

Christmas Shearwater

Puffins nativitatis
Spanish Name: Pardela de la Christmas

Size: 14 in | 36 cm
Habitat: W. Panamanian waters
Height: Sea level

Galapagos Shearwater

Puffinus subalaris
Spanish Name: Pardela de Galápagos

Size: 12 in | 30 cm
Habitat: Offshore deeper pelagic waters
Height: Sea level

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinus
Spanish Name: Pardela Pintada

Size: 13 in | 33 cm
Habitat: Off Isla de San Andrés
Height: Sea level

Audubon’s Shearwater

Puffinus Iherminieri
Spanish Name: Pardela de Audubon

Size: 13 in | 33 cm
Habitat: Isla de Providencia waters.
Height: Sea level

Tahiti Petrel

Pseudobulweeria rostrata
Spanish Name: Pardela de Tahiti

Size: 15.5 in | 39 cm
Habitat: Pacific waters
Height: Sea level