White-headed Petrel
Pterodroma lessonii
A large gadfly petrel with a pale white head and a distinctive dark eye-patch. Back is pale gray with darker outer wings, creating an “M” shape on the back. Look for stout black bill and pinkish-colored feet. Breed on Antipodes and Auckland Islands in the New Zealand region and also on subantarctic Indian Ocean and Macquarie Islands. Forages between the subantarctic and Antarctic convergence zones. Three similar species: Soft-plumaged Petrel is smaller with gray-brown head and band on upper breast; Gray Petrel is larger with a smaller, darker head, a pale green bill, and a long neck; and pale morph Kermadec Petrel is smaller, lacks an eye patch, has darker upperparts, and shows white patches under the wing.
Identification
The white-headed petrel distinct with a pale white head and prominent dark eye patch. It has long narrow wings and long pointed tail. The upper surface is pale grey which is contrasting with darker grey on the upper wings and the rump. The underside is mostly white. The bill is stout black with a large sharp hook. Green glands are prominent. The legs are pinkish to whitish with black patches on the toes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Pterodroma lessonii
- Authority
- (Garnot, 1826)
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Genus
- Pterodroma
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- SO : subantarctic islands of South Indian and South Pacific oceans, from Crozet (sw Indian Ocean) to Antipodes (se of Stewart I.) and Auckland is. (s of South I.; New Zealand)
- Non-breeding range
- to waters of s South America, s Africa, s Australasia and Antarctica
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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