Black-winged petrel
A pelagic seabird of the East Pacific Ocean.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The black-winged petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis) belongs to the seabird family Procellariidae. It nests on various oceanic islands across the tropical and subtropical East Pacific, spending the rest of its time at sea. This petrel is small, with long, narrow wings. On average, it measures 29 cm (11 in) in length and has a wingspan of 67 cm (26 in). Its head is small, its beak short and black, its body slender, and its tail square-cut. The bird shows a pale grey cap and nape, white cheeks, and a dark grey collar. The back and the base of the upper wings are pale grey, while the outer wing edges are dark greyish-black. The underparts are white, the wing tips black, and the tail is barred in black and white.
A pelagic species, it lives at sea in the East Pacific and comes ashore only to breed. Its breeding range runs from Lord Howe Island and eastern Australia to New Caledonia, New Zealand (including the Kermadec, Three Kings, and Chatham Islands), and east to the Austral Islands of French Polynesia. The world’s largest colony is on Macauley Island in the Kermadec group. Outside the breeding season, it migrates north, most often appearing in a broad ocean belt between Peru and Hawaii.
Because it lives in the open ocean, little is known about its feeding. It mostly catches prey by skimming the sea surface or pattering across the water with its feet, snatching up anything suitable. Its diet includes cephalopods and prawns, and it sometimes joins other Procellariiformes while fishing. It breeds on tropical and subtropical Pacific islands, digging a tunnel up to a meter (yard) long in sandy soil on a grassy slope inland, often with the entrance hidden by bushes. At the tunnel’s end, it lays a single egg in a chamber lined with leaves and other material. Incubation lasts about 45 days, both parents feed the chick, and it fledges in roughly 85 days. On Phillip Island in the Norfolk Islands Group, nestlings are occasionally taken by the endemic Phillip Island centipede (Cormocephalus coynei), but the petrel population seems resilient to this.
The global population is estimated at eight to ten million individuals. Because this large number is spread over a wide area, the IUCN lists the bird as least concern in its Red Book of Endangered Species.
- Scientific name
- Pterodroma nigripennis
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Average length
- 29 cm (11 in)
- Average wingspan
- 67 cm (26 in)
- Global population estimate
- 8–10 million individuals
- IUCN status
- Least concern
- Largest colony location
- Macauley Island (Kermadec Islands)
Lore & Background
Little is known of its feeding habits because it lives in the open ocean. It mostly catches prey by skimming across the sea surface or pattering across the water with its feet, snatching up suitable items. Its diet includes cephalopods and prawns, and it sometimes associates with other members of the order Procellariiformes while fishing. It breeds on tropical and subtropical islands, digging a tunnel up to a metre long in sandy soil on a grassy slope inland from the shore, often concealing the entrance with bushes. It lays a single egg in a chamber at the end of the passage, lining the nest with leaves and other material. The incubation period is about 45 days, both parents feed the young, and it fledges in about 85 days. On Phillip Island in the Norfolk Islands Group, nestlings are occasionally preyed upon by the endemic Phillip Island centipede (Cormocephalus coynei), but the petrel population appears resilient to this.
Reader's Guide
The black-winged petrel is significant as a widespread pelagic seabird with a large global population estimated at eight to ten million individuals. Its breeding range across multiple island groups in the East Pacific Ocean, including the Kermadec Islands, Lord Howe Island, and the Austral Islands, highlights its adaptability to tropical and subtropical oceanic islands. The species is listed as least concern by the IUCN due to its large population and wide distribution. Its biology, including tunnel nesting and a long incubation and fledging period, reflects typical procellariiform life history. The occasional predation by the Phillip Island centipede on nestlings is a notable ecological interaction, but the population remains resilient. The black-winged petrel's migration pattern, moving northward outside the breeding season to a belt between Peru and Hawaii, underscores its role in marine ecosystems across the Pacific.
Did You Know?
- The black-winged petrel has a wingspan averaging 67 cm (26 in) and a length averaging 29 cm (11 in).
- The largest colony in the world is on Macauley Island in the Kermadec Islands.
- Its diet includes cephalopods and prawns, and it sometimes associates with other Procellariiformes while fishing.
- On Phillip Island, nestlings are occasionally preyed upon by the endemic Phillip Island centipede (Cormocephalus coynei).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Black-winged petrel?
The black-winged petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis) is a small pelagic seabird in the tube-nosed albatross family Procellariidae. It is a resident of the tropical and subtropical East Pacific, spending nearly its entire life over open ocean and only visiting land to breed.
What are Black-winged petrel's powers/role?
Built for endurance flight, it carries long, narrow wings and a slender body of roughly 29 cm length and 67 cm wingspan, letting it ride ocean winds for thousands of kilometres. Its dark outer wing panels contrast with a pale grey back, white cheeks, and a short black bill, giving it a distinctive silhouette against the sea.
How does Black-winged petrel's story end?
As of the latest IUCN assessment the species is listed as Least Concern, with an estimated 8–10 million individuals worldwide. That suggests its story is still very much ongoing, with no immediate threat of a dramatic finale.
Why is Black-winged petrel important?
By foraging across vast stretches of open East Pacific water and then returning to remote islands to raise young, it links pelagic prey communities to island nest-site ecosystems. Its large population also makes it a meaningful component of the region's marine food web.
Where does Black-winged petrel's story take place?
Breeding colonies are scattered across various oceanic islands throughout the tropical and subtropical East Pacific. Outside the nesting season the bird essentially vanishes from land, living entirely at sea hundreds of kilometres from any coastline.
More in Birds of the Pacific Ocean 1-24
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