Pterodroma neglecta
The Kermadec Petrel (Pterodroma neglecta) is a fascinating medium-sized seabird, measuring 35-40 cm in length with an impressive wingspan of 88-102 cm and weighing 325-500g. Its most striking feature is its remarkable plumage polymorphism, ranging from a dark sooty-brown or black morph to a light morph with stark white underparts, dark upperparts, and a dark cap contrasting with a white chin and throat, alongside various intermediate forms. This variability makes it a challenging but rewardin...
This is a highly pelagic species, spending most of its life over the open ocean; breeding occurs exclusively on remote, predator-free oceanic islands, typically nesting in burrows or rock crevices from sea level to several hundred meters elevation.
The diet consists primarily of cephalopods (squid), small fish, and crustaceans, which are caught by surface-seizing or shallow plunge-diving in the open ocean.
Kermadec Petrels are strictly nocturnal at their breeding colonies, primarily to avoid avian predators, but they are diurnal foragers at sea. Their foraging strategy involves surface-seizing, skimming, and shallow plunging to capture prey, often associating with other seabirds or marine mammals t...
The breeding range of the Kermadec Petrel is largely restricted to remote oceanic islands in the tropical and subtropical Pacific. Key breeding strongholds include the Kermadec Islands (New Zealand), Lord Howe Island and Phillip Island (Australia), Norfolk Island (Australia), and islands within t...
Least Concern
- The Kermadec Petrel exhibits one of the most extreme cases of plumage polymorphism among seabirds, with individuals ranging from entirely dark to mostly white with dark upperparts. - Its scientific name, *Pterodroma neglecta*, literally translates to 'neglected wing-runner,' perhaps referencing...