Daption capense
The Pintado Petrel, scientifically known as *Daption capense*, is a striking seabird renowned for its distinctive pied, checkerboard plumage, making it one of the most recognizable petrels in the Southern Ocean. Averaging 38-40 cm (15-16 inches) in length with a wingspan of 80-90 cm (31-35 inches) and weighing 350-550 grams (12-19 oz), it sports a black head, neck, and upper back, sharply contrasting with a white underbelly and heavily mottled black and white upperwings and back. Key field ma...
This is a truly pelagic seabird, spending most of its life at sea over cold, nutrient-rich sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters. It nests colonially on rocky coasts, cliffs, and offshore islands.
Their diet is highly opportunistic, primarily consisting of crustaceans (especially krill), small fish, squid, and carrion, particularly from seals and whales, often supplemented by offal from ships.
Pintado Petrels are diurnal and highly social at sea, often found in large, mixed-species feeding flocks, frequently resting on the water or ice floes. They employ a diverse foraging strategy, including surface-seizing, shallow pursuit-diving, and scavenging, frequently following fishing boats an...
The Pintado Petrel boasts a broad circumpolar breeding range across the Antarctic continent and numerous sub-Antarctic islands, including the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Kerguelen, Macquarie Island, and Heard Island. During the austral winter, they undergo a signif...
Least Concern
- Known as the 'Cape Pigeon' by early sailors due to its pigeon-like flight and common sighting around the Cape of Good Hope. - They defend themselves by projectile-vomiting a foul-smelling, oily stomach content at intruders, which can gum up predators' feathers. - This striking bird is the only ...