9,750
edits
Difference between revisions of "Wilson's storm petrel"
no edit summary
Westarctica (talk | contribs) (Created page with "'''Wilson's storm petrel''' (''Oceanites oceanicus''), also known as '''Wilson's petrel''', is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the...") |
Westarctica (talk | contribs) |
||
| (6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[File:Storm Petrel.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Wilson's Storm Petrel]] | |||
'''Wilson's storm petrel''' (''Oceanites oceanicus''), also known as '''Wilson's petrel''', is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainly in the seas of the southern hemisphere but extending northwards during the summer of the northern hemisphere. The world population has been estimated to be more than 50 million pairs. The name commemorates the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson. The genus name ''Oceanites'' refers to the mythical Oceanids, the three thousand daughters of Tethys. The species name is from Latin ''oceanus'', "ocean." | '''Wilson's storm petrel''' (''Oceanites oceanicus''), also known as '''Wilson's petrel''', is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainly in the seas of the southern hemisphere but extending northwards during the summer of the northern hemisphere. The world population has been estimated to be more than 50 million pairs. The name commemorates the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson. The genus name ''Oceanites'' refers to the mythical Oceanids, the three thousand daughters of Tethys. The species name is from Latin ''oceanus'', "ocean." | ||
The bird is featured on the obverse of [[Westarctica]]'s 2012 [[Coins of Westarctica|coin]] celebrating [[Borradaile Island]]. | |||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| Line 10: | Line 13: | ||
==Distribution and habitat== | ==Distribution and habitat== | ||
[[File:OceanitesDistribution.png|thumb|right|300px|Distribution range of Wilson's Storm Petrel]] | |||
This species breeds on the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] coastlines and nearby islands such as the South Shetland Islands during the summer of the [[Southern Ocean]]. It spends the rest of the year at sea, and moves into the northern oceans in the southern hemisphere's winter. It is much more common in the north Atlantic than the Pacific. Wilson's storm petrel is common off eastern North America in the northern summer and the seasonal abundance of this bird in suitable European waters has been revealed through pelagic boat trips, most notably in the area of Great Britain. | This species breeds on the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] coastlines and nearby islands such as the South Shetland Islands during the summer of the [[Southern Ocean]]. It spends the rest of the year at sea, and moves into the northern oceans in the southern hemisphere's winter. It is much more common in the north Atlantic than the Pacific. Wilson's storm petrel is common off eastern North America in the northern summer and the seasonal abundance of this bird in suitable European waters has been revealed through pelagic boat trips, most notably in the area of Great Britain. | ||
| Line 17: | Line 21: | ||
Wilson's storm petrel has a more direct gliding flight than other small petrels, and like most others it flies low over the seas surface and has the habit of pattering on the water surface as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface. Their unique fluttering and hovering flight is achieved often with their wings held high. Even in calm weather, they can make use of the slight breeze produced by the waves and in effect soar while using their feet to stabilize themselves. Like the European storm petrel, it is highly gregarious, and will also follow ships. A soft peeping noise is often heard while the birds are feeding. They feed predominantly on planktonic invertebrates close to the surface, rarely plunging below the surface to capture prey. They may however sometimes take 3–8 cm long fish in the family Myctophidae. | Wilson's storm petrel has a more direct gliding flight than other small petrels, and like most others it flies low over the seas surface and has the habit of pattering on the water surface as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface. Their unique fluttering and hovering flight is achieved often with their wings held high. Even in calm weather, they can make use of the slight breeze produced by the waves and in effect soar while using their feet to stabilize themselves. Like the European storm petrel, it is highly gregarious, and will also follow ships. A soft peeping noise is often heard while the birds are feeding. They feed predominantly on planktonic invertebrates close to the surface, rarely plunging below the surface to capture prey. They may however sometimes take 3–8 cm long fish in the family Myctophidae. | ||
At 40 g on average, it is the smallest warm-blooded animal that breeds in the Antarctic region. It nests in colonies close to the sea in rock crevices or small burrows in soft earth and lays a single white egg. Like most petrels, its walking ability is limited to a short shuffle to the burrow. In the Antarctic, nests may sometimes get snowed over leading to destruction of the nest or chicks. This storm petrel is strictly nocturnal at the breeding sites to avoid predation by gulls and skuas, and will even avoid coming to land on clear moonlit nights. Both parents tend the nest and feed the single chick. The chicks call and beg for food, more vigorously when hungry. Chicks remain at nest for about 60 days and are fed on [[krill]], fish and amphipods. Adults have the ability to identify their nest burrows in the dark and their mates by olfactory cues. | At 40 g on average, it is the smallest warm-blooded animal that breeds in the Antarctic region. It nests in colonies close to the sea in rock crevices or small burrows in soft earth and lays a single white egg. Like most petrels, its walking ability is limited to a short shuffle to the burrow. In the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]], nests may sometimes get snowed over leading to destruction of the nest or chicks. This storm petrel is strictly nocturnal at the breeding sites to avoid predation by gulls and [[Brown Skua|skuas]], and will even avoid coming to land on clear moonlit nights. Both parents tend the nest and feed the single chick. The chicks call and beg for food, more vigorously when hungry. Chicks remain at nest for about 60 days and are fed on [[krill]], fish, and amphipods. Adults have the ability to identify their nest burrows in the dark and their mates by olfactory cues. | ||
Widespread throughout its large range, Wilson's storm petrel is evaluated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. | Widespread throughout its large range, Wilson's storm petrel is evaluated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Birds]] | ||
[[Category:Animals of Westarctica]] | [[Category:Animals of Westarctica]] | ||