Bulweria fallax
The Jouanin's Petrel, Bulweria fallax, is an enigmatic and poorly understood pelagic seabird of the Procellariidae family, closely related to the Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii). This medium-sized petrel measures approximately 31-33 cm in length with a wingspan of 79-84 cm, and weighs around 150-180 grams. Its plumage is uniformly sooty-brown to dark sepia, appearing almost black against the sky, with no discernible pale markings on the underwing or body, setting it apart from some simila...
This is a strictly pelagic species, inhabiting the open waters of the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean, breeding on remote, arid offshore islands and rocky islets.
Jouanin's Petrels feed primarily on small cephalopods (squid) and small fish, occasionally supplementing their diet with crustaceans, captured by surface-seizing and shallow pursuit-diving.
Jouanin's Petrels spend almost their entire lives at sea, coming to land only to breed, typically under the cover of darkness. They are colonial breeders, nesting in burrows, rock crevices, or under boulders, often in dense colonies to mitigate predation risks. Foraging is conducted over vast str...
The Jouanin's Petrel primarily breeds on remote islands within the Arabian Sea, with the most significant known colonies located in the Kuria Muria Islands off Oman and on Socotra Island, Yemen. There are also unconfirmed breeding records from other islands in the Western Indian Ocean. After bree...
Near Threatened
- The Jouanin's Petrel was only formally described as a distinct species in 1956, highlighting its elusive nature and late discovery compared to many other seabirds. - It is named after Christian Jouanin, a French ornithologist who played a key role in its identification and study. - This species...