Common Diving Petrel
Pelecanoides urinatrix
The Common Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides urinatrix) is a rare petrels, shearwaters, and diving petrel found in 6 countries, weighing about 152 g. The common diving petrel , also known as the smaller diving petrel or simply the diving petrel, is a diving petrel, one of four very similar auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans.
About the Common Diving Petrel
The common diving petrel , also known as the smaller diving petrel or simply the diving petrel, is a diving petrel, one of four very similar auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans. It is native to South Atlantic islands and islands of the subantarctic southern Indian Ocean, islands and islets off New Zealand and south-eastern Australian islands.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The common diving petrel is a small, plump petrel, 200 to 250 mm (7.9–9.8 in) in length and weighing around 86 to 186 g (3.0–6.6 oz). The plumage is black above and dull white below and it has a relatively short black bill. The wings have thin white strips. The face and neck can be more brown than black. The legs and feet are blue with blackish-brown webbing in between the toes. Unless seen very close, it is almost indistinguishable from the South Georgian diving petrel, P. georgicus.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Common Diving Petrel can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Common Diving Petrel?
- The common diving petrel is a small, plump petrel, 200 to 250 mm (7.9–9.8 in) in length and weighing around 86 to 186 g (3.0–6.6 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Common Diving Petrel?
- The Common Diving Petrel is a medium sized bird weighing about 152 g.
- Where can you see a Common Diving Petrel?
- The Common Diving Petrel occurs in 6 countries, including New Zealand, Australia, the Falkland Islands, Argentina and Chile.
- What birds look similar to a Common Diving Petrel?
- The Common Diving Petrel is most easily confused with the Peruvian Diving Petrel, the Magellanic Diving Petrel and the South Georgia Diving Petrel.
- Is the Common Diving Petrel endangered?
- The Common Diving Petrel is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Common Diving Petrel for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.