Magellanic Diving Petrel
Pelecanoides magellani
The Magellanic Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides magellani) is a rare petrels, shearwaters, and diving petrel found in 3 countries, weighing about 134 g. The Magellanic diving petrel is a species of diving petrel, one of five very similar, small, auk-like petrels found exclusively in the southern oceans.
About the Magellanic Diving Petrel
The Magellanic diving petrel is a species of diving petrel, one of five very similar, small, auk-like petrels found exclusively in the southern oceans. It is one of the smaller species of diving petrels, though size differences are seemingly indistinguishable between species unless seen up close. It is probably the least known of all five species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This short, compact petrel ranges from 19 to 22 cm (7.5 to 8.7 in) in length, and weighs anywhere between 5 and 6 oz (males are typically heavier than females). The head of P. magellani is black, bordered by a contrasting white that leads into a distinctive white crescent extending up towards the back of the neck. The rest of the body follows a strong penguin-like black above, white below scheme, with some white streaks around the sides of the nape and on the scapulars. They also have some blackish-grey mottling on the flank region and sometimes on the sides of the breast.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Magellanic Diving Petrel?
- This short, compact petrel ranges from 19 to 22 cm (7.5 to 8.7 in) in length, and weighs anywhere between 5 and 6 oz (males are typically heavier than females). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Magellanic Diving Petrel?
- The Magellanic Diving Petrel is a medium sized bird weighing about 134 g.
- Where can you see a Magellanic Diving Petrel?
- The Magellanic Diving Petrel occurs in 3 countries, including Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands.
- What birds look similar to a Magellanic Diving Petrel?
- The Magellanic Diving Petrel is most easily confused with the South Georgia Diving Petrel, the Peruvian Diving Petrel and the Common Diving Petrel.
- Is the Magellanic Diving Petrel endangered?
- The Magellanic Diving Petrel is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Magellanic Diving Petrel for real
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