Difference between revisions of "Petrel"
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Revision as of 20:52, May 25, 2007
The petrels and shearwaters are albatross-like birds, although they are smaller than their more famous cousins, being gull-sized. they have long wings which help them fly great distances over the world's oceans. There are over 70 species. Some species are exceedingly common, with millions of individual birds, while other species are close to extinction for various reasons.
Origin of the name
The word "petrel" comes from the Latin name for the Christian Saint Peter, and refers to the habits of some species to hover just above the ocean waves, with their feet barely touching the water, giving an appearance of walking on water.
Species
There are 24 species that visit North American waters:
- Fulmarine Petrels:
- Northern Fulmar
- Gadfly Petrels:
- Black-capped Petrel
- Fea's Petrel
- Bermuda Petrel or Cahow
- Perald Petrel
- Hawaiian Petrel
- Murphy's Petrel
- Mottled Petrel
- Cook's Petrel
- Stejneger's Petrel
- Shearwaters:
- Buller's Shearwater
- Streaked Shearwater
- Pink-footed Shearwater
- Black-vented Shearwater
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater
- Flesh-footed Shearwater
- Short-tailed Shearwater
- Sooty Shearwater
- Cory's Shearater
- Greater Shearwater
- Manx Shearwater
- Little Shearwater
- Audobon's Shearwater
- Procellariine Petrels:
- Bulwer's Petrel
- Prions: no species recorded in the Northern Hemisphere.