Ashy Storm-Petrel
Hydrobates homochroa
Medium-sized, dark-rumped storm-petrel with a long, deeply notched tail and grayish tones to the plumage. Usually flies fairly directly with light fluttering wingbeats; can be stronger in windy conditions. Look for pale stripe on underwing (not always obvious). Distinctive within limited range, exclusively off California and northern Baja. Rarely seen from land. Gathers in large flocks, often resting together on the water; can be mixed with other storm-petrel species.
Identification
The ashy storm petrel (Hydrobates homochroa) is a small, scarce seabird of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae. It breeds colonially on islands off the coasts of California and Mexico, and is one of six species of storm petrel that live and feed in the rich California Current system.
Taxonomy
The ashy storm petrel was first described by American ornithologist Elliott Coues in 1864. Both its common and scientific name, homochroa, "uniformly colored", from Ancient Greek (h)omoia (όμοια), "alike" + "chroma" (χρώμα) "color", come from its coloration.<p>It was formerly defined in the genus Oceanodroma before that genus was synonymized with Hydrobates.
- Scientific name
- Hydrobates homochroa
- Authority
- (Coues, 1864)
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Hydrobatidae
- Genus
- Hydrobates
Range and habitat
Breeding range: PO : islands of Van Damme Cove (Mendocino Co.); Bird Rock (Pt. Reyes), and Farallon Is. (w of c California); Channel Is. (w of s California); Coronado Is. and I. de Todos Santos (w of nw Baja California, nw Mexico). Non-breeding range: coastal California Current to n California (including Monterey Bay) and nc Baja California (nw Mexico).
- Breeding range
- PO : islands of Van Damme Cove (Mendocino Co.); Bird Rock (Pt. Reyes), and Farallon Is. (w of c California); Channel Is. (w of s California); Coronado Is. and I. de Todos Santos (w of nw Baja California, nw Mexico)
- Non-breeding range
- coastal California Current to n California (including Monterey Bay) and nc Baja California (nw Mexico)
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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