Pterodroma cervicalis
The White-necked Petrel, *Pterodroma cervicalis*, is a medium-sized gadfly petrel, measuring approximately 41-45 cm (16-18 inches) in length with a wingspan of 95-105 cm (37-41 inches) and weighing around 380-550 grams (13-19 oz). This striking pelagic seabird is distinguished by its dark grey-brown upperparts, contrasting sharply with clean white underparts, and a prominent white nape or “collar” that separates its dark blackish cap from the darker mantle. Further identification marks includ...
This oceanic petrel primarily inhabits the open waters of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, only returning to remote, densely vegetated oceanic islands for breeding. Nesting typically occurs at sea level or on gentle slopes, usually within dense forest or shrubland.
The White-necked Petrel's diet consists mainly of squid, small fish, and crustaceans, which it captures by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving into the ocean. Foraging often occurs at night, possibly targeting bioluminescent prey attracted to the surface.
Highly pelagic outside the breeding season, White-necked Petrels spend their days foraging over vast stretches of open ocean, often far from land. They are colonial breeders, returning to nesting islands nocturnally to avoid predators, engaging in complex aerial displays and vocalizations over th...
The White-necked Petrel has a highly pelagic distribution across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, with its breeding range restricted to a few remote oceanic islands in the South Pacific. The primary breeding sites are Raoul Island and Macauley Island within the Kermadec Islands group (part ...
Vulnerable
- The White-necked Petrel is renowned for its immense trans-equatorial migrations, traveling thousands of kilometers from its South Pacific breeding grounds to feed in the North Pacific during the non-breeding season. - Like many gadfly petrels, it is an exclusively nocturnal breeder, returning t...