Overview

Bermuda Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts shading to black on rump; white underparts except for dusky sides of upper breast. Base of tail has white band. White face, forehead. Black-brown cap goes to eyes. In flight shows black-gray upperwings, white underwings with black margins, tips.

Range and Habitat

Bermuda Petrel: Bermuda Petrel is endemic to the island of Bermuda, Atlantic Ocean, where at the time of the early settlers' arrival in the sixteenth century it was widespread throughout the main island and its adjacent satellites, although it is now confined to four of the smallest islets in Castle Harbour, east Bermuda . Virtually nothing is known of its range at sea, but it probably wanders to the offshore waters of the southern Atlantic states, with a possible sight record off the coast of North Carolina.

Breeding and Nesting

Bermuda Petrel: One white egg is laid in ridges of cliffs or in rock crevices. Originally Bermuda Petrels burrowed their nests into the soft soils of Bermuda, but predation by introduced mammals exterminated them everywhere except on the smallest offshore islets where soil cover was too sparse to permit burrowing. Incubation ranges from 51 to 54 days and is carried out by both sexes.

Foraging and Feeding

Bermuda Petrel: These birds' food consists primarily of cephalopods (small squid) and lesser amounts of shrimp and probably small fish. They take food with their bill from the water surface. Bermuda Petrels do not follow boats.

Readily Eats

Vocalization

Bermuda Petrel: Call is eerie "ca-how."

Similar Species

Bermuda Petrel: Very similar in appearance to the Black-capped Petrel which occurs regularly in water off of North Carolina where Bermuda Petrels have been seen several times. Black-capped has a wide white rump, white collar, heavier bill, proportionally shorter wings, and paler underwings.