Pterodroma madeira
Zino's Petrel (Pterodroma madeira), a captivating and critically endangered gadfly petrel, is among the world's rarest seabirds. This small pelagic species measures around 33-35 cm in length with a wingspan of 85-94 cm, characterized by dark grey-brown upperparts, a distinctive 'M' pattern across its wings when viewed from above, and contrasting pure white underparts. Key field marks include a dark cap extending below the eye, a pale forehead, and a short, stout black bill, giving it a somewh...
This species nests exclusively on high, inaccessible mountain ledges and deep rock crevices on Madeira Island, typically at elevations between 1600-1800 meters. Outside the breeding season, it is entirely pelagic, inhabiting the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Zino's Petrels primarily feed on small cephalopods (squid) and small fish, occasionally supplementing their diet with crustaceans, typically surface-feeding or dipping from the air.
Zino's Petrels exhibit strict nocturnality at their breeding colonies, arriving and departing under the cover of darkness to avoid predation by gulls. During the day at sea, they are largely solitary, employing a dynamic foraging strategy that involves snatching small prey from the ocean surface ...
Zino's Petrel is an extreme endemic, breeding exclusively on Madeira Island, an archipelago in the North Atlantic. Its entire known breeding population is confined to a few inaccessible sites within the central mountain massif (Macizo Central) of Madeira, specifically at elevations ranging from a...
Critically Endangered
- Zino's Petrel is considered one of the rarest seabirds in Europe, if not the world. - Its only known breeding location is on the high mountain peaks of Madeira Island, a Portuguese archipelago. - They are strictly nocturnal at their nesting colonies, flying to and from their burrows only after ...