Kermadec Petrel

Overview

The Kermadec petrel (Pterodroma neglecta) is a species of gadfly petrel in the family Procellariidae classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. It is a polymorphic seabird that ranges across the Pacific Ocean.

Identification

• Length of 38 cm with a wingspan of 100 cm.
• Polymorphic plumage featuring light, dark, and intermediate morphs.

Habitat

This species breeds in the Pacific Ocean from Lord Howe Island to the Juan Fernández Islands, including specific islands within the Kermadec archipelago such as Nugent, Napier, and Meyer. It maintains a small colony of less than 100 individuals on Balls Pyramid and also breeds on Round Island off Mauritius, where it may hybridise with the Trindade petrel. It acts as a vagrant in Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand, sometimes moving poleward in response to warmer sea surface temperatures.

Diet

The Kermadec petrel feeds on squid, fish, and other marine creatures.

Did you know?

The species is unusual for its wide range of breeding times, with different colonies nesting from October to February or from February to March. It also exhibits poleward vagrancy in response to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures, suggesting an expanding foraging range due to global warming.