About the White-faced Storm Petrel
The white-faced storm petrel, also known as white-faced petrel or frigate petrel, is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Pelagodroma. It is widely distributed across the northern and southern hemisphere, especially around the coastal and open ocean waters of southern Australia, New Zealand, Tristan da Cunha, Cabo Verde, the Canary islands and the Selvagens islands.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Commonly, the white-faced storm petrel is 19 to 21 centimetres (7.5 to 8.3 in) in length with a 41 to 44 centimetres (16 to 17 in) wingspan and 40 to 70 grams body mass. The key characteristics of this species include dark bill, tarsi, toes and claws. It has a pale brown to grey back, rump and wings with black flight feathers. It is white below, unlike other north Atlantic petrels, and has a white face with a black eye mask like a phalarope. Its distinctive grey-brown dorsal side plumage makes it one of the easier petrels to identify at sea from a distance.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Canada, Morocco, South Africa, Fiji, India, Oman, Kiribati.
When to see it
Peak activity in December · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Elliot's Storm PetrelOceanites gracilisElliot's storm petrel is a species of seabird in the storm petrel family Oceanitidae.
Grey-backed Storm PetrelGarrodia nereisGrey-backed storm petrel is a small bird, 21-44 g in weight with a 39–40 cm wingspan.
Black-bellied Storm PetrelFregetta tropicaThey are usually black with a white band over the rump and white under the wings and on the flanks.
Learn the White-faced Storm Petrel for real
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