Pachyptila macgillivrayi
MacGillivray's Prion (*Pachyptila macgillivrayi*) is a small, pelagic seabird, a member of the diverse petrel family Procellariidae. Measuring approximately 28-30 cm in length with a wingspan of 58-66 cm and weighing 140-200g, it displays typical prion plumage: blue-grey upperparts, a dark 'M' shaped pattern across the wings, and pristine white underparts. A key identification feature is its relatively large, robust black bill, distinctly broader and deeper than that of the closely related Fa...
MacGillivray's Prion is an entirely pelagic species, spending most of its life over the open southern oceans. It only comes ashore to breed, nesting in burrows or rock crevices on isolated oceanic islands.
The diet of MacGillivray's Prion consists predominantly of zooplankton, especially copepods and krill, which it filter-feeds from the ocean surface. It also occasionally consumes small fish and squid.
Primarily nocturnal at its breeding colonies, MacGillivray's Prion emerges from its burrows under the cover of darkness to avoid predatory gulls and skuas, engaging in loud vocalizations and social interactions. During the day, it is highly social at sea, often forming large, dense feeding flocks...
The breeding range of MacGillivray's Prion is highly restricted, primarily confined to St. Paul Island in the southern Indian Ocean, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. While traditionally also noted to breed on Gough Island in the South Atlantic, this population is now often conside...
Vulnerable
- Its genus name *Pachyptila* means 'thick feather,' referring to the dense plumage of prions, while 'prion' comes from Greek for 'saw,' alluding to the lamellae in its bill. - MacGillivray's Prion possesses unique comb-like lamellae inside its bill, allowing it to filter minute planktonic organi...