Pétrel macropte

Un pétrel sombre de taille moyenne, trapu, avec une grande tête et de longues ailes pointues. Il présente souvent un masque gris écailleux et grisonnant autour du bec. Il vole vite avec un poignet fléchi et sa lourde tête inclinée vers le bas, lui donnant une apparence caractéristique. Il se reproduit sur les îles subantarctiques, entre le groupe Tristan et l'Australie occidentale, se dispersant à travers les océans du sud entre 30 et 50°S, où il est un spécialiste des eaux profondes. Plusieurs espèces sont similaires au Pétrel à grandes ailes. Le Pétrel à face grise, parfois considéré comme la même espèce, se reproduit au large de la Nouvelle-Zélande et est presque identique, à l'exception d'une tache faciale grisonnante plus étendue. Le Pétrel de Kerguelen, plus petit, a un dessous de l'aile argenté plus contrasté. Les pétrels du genre Pterodroma ont pour la plupart des motifs plus pâles sur le dessous de l'aile ou le ventre et n'ont pas la corpulence du Pétrel à grandes ailes.

Identification

This is a large seabird, with a body length of 42–45 cm. The bird is completely dark brown except for a variable patch of white near the base of the bill, which is black.<p>It is separated from sooty shearwater and short-tailed shearwater by the all-dark underwing, the thick, stubby bill, and different jizz. The similar flesh-footed shearwater has a light, pinkish bill. Petrels in the genus Procellaria are larger and have a less bounding flight.[citation needed]

Taxonomie

This species was formerly treated as containing two subspecies - P. m. macroptera and P. m. gouldi, the latter of which is endemic to New Zealand. As of 2014, the latter is recognized as a species in its own right, the grey-faced petrel (Pterodroma gouldi). In 2016 further research was published supporting the full species status of the grey-faced petrel.

Nom scientifique

Pterodroma macroptera

Autorité

(Smith, A, 1840)

Ordre

Procellariiformes

Famille

Procellariidés

Genre

Pterodroma

Répartition et habitat

The great-winged petrel breeds in the Southern Hemisphere between 30 and 50 degrees south with colonies on Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, the Crozet Islands, the Prince Edward Islands, the Kerguelen Islands and on the coasts of southern Australia. It is a rare vagrant to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, United States.

Aire de reproduction

SO : subtropical to temperate is. from Tristan da Cunha and Gough (sc Atlantic Ocean) to Kerguelen Is. (se Indian Ocean) and islets off sw Australia

Aire hors reproduction

subtropical to temperate South Atlantic and South Indian oceans to s African and w Australian waters

Migration

Complete migrants

Comportement

The species feeds mostly on squid and to a lesser degree on fish and crustaceans. Prey is generally caught at night, by dipping and surface-seizing. The great-winged petrel will on occasion follow whales and associate with other related bird species to feed. Breeding occurs in the southern winter (beginning in April); nests are either solitary or in small colonies, located in burrows or aboveground among boulders or low vegetation.