Herald Petrel

Pterodroma arminjonianaOrder: PROCELLARIIFORMESFamily: Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae)
Herald Petrel Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Hooked Seabird
  • Eye color: Black iris
  • Head Pattern: Plain
  • Crown color: Gray
  • Forehead color: Gray
  • Nape Color: Gray
  • Throat color: Gray
  • Cere color:
Herald Petrel Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 36-41 cm (14-16 in)
  • Weight: 162 g (5.7 oz)
  • Size: Size 3. Medium (9 - 16 in)
  • Color: Gray
  • Underparts: Gray
  • Upperparts: Gray
  • Back Pattern: Solid
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Herald Petrel Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Fluttery wing beats alternate with glides., High erratic soaring arcs become higher and more dashing as wind speeds increase.
  • Wingspan Range: 97-102 cm (38-40 in)
  • Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Pointed Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Solid
  • Upper Tail: Dark Gray
  • Under Tail: Gray
  • Leg color: Pink
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Family
Species Pterodroma arminjoniana
Length14 - 16 Inches
Wingspan39 Inches

Herald Petrel

Herald Petrel: Medium petrel, three color morphs: light, intermediate, dark. Dark morph is dark gray overall, silver-gray to white base on underwing flight feathers. Light morph has white breast, belly and dark gray upperparts. Intermediate forms exist between light and dark morphs. Gray legs, feet.

● Song: "ki ki ki ki"

● Foraging & Feeding: Herald Petrel: This bird is mostly pelagic and spends the majority of its time at sea where it feeds on squid and crustaceans. When looking for food, it skims water, grabs prey with bill, and ingests while in flight.

● Breeding & nesting: Herald Petrel: One white egg is laid in a burrow which is excavated or cleaned out by both sexes. For their breeding grounds Herald petrels choose warm islands and do not line burrows with any nest materials. Incubation ranges from 49 to 54 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Herald Petrel: Sooty Shearwater has light underwings, shorter tail, broader, more stout body, high forehead and a very different flight pattern. Murphy's Petrel has white at the base of its bill.

Flight Pattern

Fluttery wing beats alternate with glides., High erratic soaring arcs become higher and more dashing as wind speeds increase.
Herald Petrel Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Herald Petrel: These birds prefer water below the Equator but were recorded as far north as North Carolina where it is a rare but regular visitor in late spring to late summer. It is known to breed on Raine Island and possibly other small cays in the Coral Sea, and forage in surrounding waters. This bird is mostly pelagic and spends its life at sea coming to nesting grounds only to breed. For breeding it chooses warm islands with soils suitable for nesting burrows.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationRare
MigrationMigratory
Weight5.7 Ounces