Leach's storm petrel
Small seabird with a white rump and exceptional longevity.
Leach's storm petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous) is a small seabird of the tubenose order, named after the British zoologist William Elford Leach. It breeds on inaccessible islands in the colder northern areas of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, with the only Southern Hemisphere colony on Dassen Island in South Africa. The species is notable for its nocturnal breeding habits, long lifespan, and the unique phenomenon of telomere lengthening with age.
- scientific_name
- Hydrobates leucorhous
- length
- 18–21 cm
- wingspan
- 43–48 cm
- average_lifespan
- 13 years
- maximum_recorded_lifespan
- 38+ years
- largest_colony
- Baccalieu Island, Canada (~1.95 million pairs in 2013)
- diet
- Plankton (euphausiids, copepods, amphipods) and myctophids
Lore & Background
Leach's storm petrel nests in colonies close to the sea in well-concealed areas such as rock crevices, shallow burrows, or logs. It lays a single white egg, often with a faint ring of purple spots at the large end. Strictly nocturnal at breeding sites to avoid predation by gulls and skuas, it even avoids coming to land on clear, moonlit nights. The largest colony is on Baccalieu Island off eastern Canada, an ecological reserve with approximately 1.95 million pairs as of 2013. Birds breeding at the northern limit of the species' range on the Arctic Circle in Norway delay breeding until autumn to avoid 24-hour daylight.
Reader's Guide
Leach's storm petrel is significant for its unusual biological traits and ecological role. It has an exceptionally long lifespan for a small bird, averaging 13 years with a maximum recorded of over 38 years. In 2003, it was discovered that its telomeres lengthen with age, a phenomenon not observed in any other animal at that time, though likely shared with other Procellariiformes. The species feeds primarily on plankton and lantern fish, and individuals have been observed foraging up to 1000 km from their breeding colony. Parent birds store energy-rich lipids in a sac anterior to the stomach, used for incubation, feeding chicks, or defense. Chicks are accidentally fed plastic debris mistaken for food. The species is strictly pelagic outside breeding season and difficult to see from land, except during storms. Its identification can be challenging, especially in the Pacific where dark-rumped forms resemble other all-dark storm petrels. The species was formerly placed in the genus Oceanodroma before being merged into Hydrobates.
Did You Know?
- Leach's storm petrel is named after British zoologist William Elford Leach.
- Its telomeres lengthen with age, a phenomenon first documented in 2003 and unique among known animals at that time.
- The largest colony, on Baccalieu Island off eastern Canada, held about 1.95 million pairs in 2013.
- Dark-rumped individuals make up 90-100% of breeding birds on the United States-Mexico border.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Leach's storm petrel?
It is a tiny tubenose seabird (Hydrobates leucorhous) measuring just 18–21 cm in length, instantly recognizable by its bright white rump patch set against an otherwise dark body. It belongs to the order Procellariiformes and is one of the most widespread small seabirds in the world's northern oceans.
Where does Leach's storm petrel breed?
This species nests only on remote, hard-to-reach islands in the colder northern regions of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, with the sole known Southern Hemisphere colony on Dassen Island off South Africa. The largest documented breeding site is Baccalieu Island in Canada, where roughly 1.95 million pairs were counted in 2013.
What makes Leach's storm petrel's lifespan so remarkable?
Although the average individual lives about 13 years, the oldest confirmed specimen exceeded 38 years—an extraordinary figure for a bird under 20 cm long. Researchers have also found that this species actually lengthens its telomeres as it ages, a biological phenomenon rarely observed in any animal.
Why is it called 'Leach's' storm petrel?
The common name honors British zoologist William Elford Leach, who contributed to the early scientific description of the bird. Its binomial name Hydrobates leucorhous essentially translates to 'white-rumped,' a direct reference to the pale patch on its rear end.
What role does Leach's storm petrel play in its ecosystem?
As a small nocturnal forager, it feeds on planktonic crustaceans and tiny fish near the ocean surface, helping keep those prey populations in balance. Its strict preference for remote island colonies and night-time breeding also makes it a valuable long-term indicator of northern ocean health.
More in Birds of the Pacific Ocean 1-24
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