Phylum Chordata Rank Species | Mass 99 g (Adult) Higher classification Bulweria | |
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Conservation status Least Concern (Population stable) Similar Bulweria, Bird, Band‑rumped storm petrel, Little shearwater, Cory's shearwater | ||
Bulwer s petrel
Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and is one of two species in the genus Bulweria (Bonaparte, 1843). This bird is named after the Scottish naturalist James Bulwer.
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Description
This very long-winged petrel is 25–29 cm in length with a 78–90 cm wingspan. It has mainly brown plumage and a long pointed tail. It has a buoyant twisting flight as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface.
Ecology
Bulwer's petrel is highly pelagic, and rarely found near land (except during the breeding season). Its diet mainly consists of small fish (such as sardines) and squid, with some additional crustaceans (such as crabs, krill, and shrimp) and plankton.
Distribution and habitat
The species breeds in the north Atlantic in colonies on islands in the Cape Verde Islands, Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira groups, and across the north Pacific from east of China to Hawaii. After breeding, birds disperse to spend the rest of the year at sea, mainly in tropical waters worldwide. This species has been sighted in Europe as a rare vagrant to Ireland, Great Britain, Portugal and the Netherlands. It has also appeared as a vagrant in North America, with rare sightings far off the coast of both California and North Carolina.
Breeding
Breeding pairs form colonies of 7,000-9,000 pairs during the breeding season. The breeding season for Bulwer's petrel starts in April and May. Nests are built in burrows, vegetation, cliff caves/crevices, and under man-made debris and onshore driftwood.
