Desertas Petrel
Pterodroma deserta
The Desertas Petrel (Pterodroma deserta) is a legendary petrels, shearwaters, and diving petrel found in 2 countries, weighing about 311 g. The Desertas petrel is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus which breeds on Bugio Island in the Desertas off Madeira.
About the Desertas Petrel
The Desertas petrel is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus which breeds on Bugio Island in the Desertas off Madeira.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
As all three of the species in the Pterodroma feae/madeira/deserta complex were once believed to be subspecies of a single species: Pterodroma mollis, the extreme difficulty in telling them apart is easily understood. A summary of data from a morphological study sheds light on the issue: In overall size feae is closer to deserta and both are bigger than madeira (wing length - f:262, d: 264, m: 248; tarsus - f:34.7, d: 35.2, m: 32.7). Bill length once again similar in feae and deserta and both larger than madeira (f:29.0, d: 28.6, m: 26.3).
When to see it
Best months: January, June, July, August, September, October, with peak activity in June. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Desertas Petrel?
- As all three of the species in the Pterodroma feae/madeira/deserta complex were once believed to be subspecies of a single species: Pterodroma mollis, the extreme difficulty in telling them apart is easily understood. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Desertas Petrel?
- The Desertas Petrel is a large sized bird weighing about 311 g.
- Where can you see a Desertas Petrel?
- The Desertas Petrel occurs in 2 countries, including and undefined.
- What birds look similar to a Desertas Petrel?
- The Desertas Petrel is most easily confused with the Chatham Islands Petrel, the Henderson Petrel and the Magenta Petrel.
- Is the Desertas Petrel endangered?
- The Desertas Petrel is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Desertas Petrel for real
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