"Mother Carey's chickens" redirects here. For other uses, see Mother Carey's Chickens (disambiguation).
European storm petrel
Ten miles off Sagres, Portugal
Storm petrel churring calls
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Procellariiformes
Family:
Hydrobatidae
Genus:
Hydrobates
Species:
H. pelagicus
Binomial name
Hydrobates pelagicus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Subspecies
H. p. pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) H. p. melitensis (Schembri, 1843)
European and Mediterranean range of H. pelagicus (Full range extends into the South Atlantic Ocean)[1]
Known or probable breeding colonies
At-sea range in Northern Hemisphere summer
Synonyms
Procellaria pelagica Linnaeus, 1758
Composite from The Crossley ID Guide
The European storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), also known as British storm petrel, or just storm petrel, is a species of seabird in the northern storm petrel family, Hydrobatidae. The small, square-tailed bird is entirely black except for a broad, white rump and a white band on the under wings, and it has a fluttering, bat-like flight. The large majority of the population breeds on islands off the northern coasts of Europe, with the greatest numbers in the Faroe Islands, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland. The Mediterranean population is a separate subspecies whose strongholds are Filfla Island (Malta), Sicily, and the Balearic Islands. This subspecies is indiscernible at sea from its Atlantic relatives.
The storm petrel nests in crevices and burrows, sometimes shared with other seabirds or rabbits, and lays a single white egg, usually on bare soil. The adults share the lengthy incubation and both feed the chick, which is not normally brooded after the first week. This bird is strongly migratory, spending the Northern Hemisphere winter mainly off the coasts of South Africa and Namibia, with some birds stopping in the seas adjoining West Africa, and a few remaining near their Mediterranean breeding islands. This petrel is strictly oceanic outside the breeding season. It feeds on small fish, squid, and zooplankton, while pattering on the sea's surface, and can find oily, edible items by smell. The food is converted in the bird's stomach to an oily orange liquid, which is regurgitated when the chick is fed. Although usually silent at sea, the storm petrel has a chattering call given by both members of a pair in their courtship flight. The male has a purring song given from the breeding chamber.
The storm petrel cannot survive on islands where land mammals such as rats and cats have been introduced, and it suffers natural predation from gulls, skuas, owls, and falcons. Although the population may be declining slightly, this petrel is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of least concern due to its high total numbers. Its presence in rough weather at sea has led to various mariners' superstitions, and by analogy, to its use as a symbol by revolutionary and anarchist groups.
^ abBirdLife International (2018). "Hydrobates pelagicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22698477A132650209. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698477A132650209.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
and 23 Related for: European storm petrel information
Northern stormpetrels are seabirds in the genus Hydrobates in the family Hydrobatidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. The family was once lumped...
Stormpetrel may refer to one of two bird families, both in the order Procellariiformes, once treated as the same family. Up and down! - up and down! From...
(including the Europeanstormpetrel). This Russian word is not, however, used to specifically name any species properly known in English as storm-petrel. However...
are large colonies of seabirds including important populations of Europeanstorm-petrels, northern gannets, and roseate terns. Other notable breeding birds...
of phtilopterid louse found on seabirds including Europeanstormpetrel and Wilson's stormpetrel. Fowler, J A; Price, R A (1987). "A comparative study...
repairs. Mousa Broch is well known among birders for its breeding Europeanstormpetrels, which are best seen after dark on partly or on completely overcast...
louse found on seabirds including the Europeanstormpetrel, but it is not found on the Wilson's stormpetrel. Fowler, J A; Price, R A (1987). "A comparative...
"Mother Carey" of sailor lore—"Mother Carey's chicken" being the Europeanstorm-petrel—and the Tudor period prophetess "Mother Shipton". Shahed, Syed Mohammad...
size and for the species diversity. Among the breeding birds are Europeanstormpetrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), northern gannet, northern fulmar (Fulmarus...
and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). The only breeding sites for EuropeanStorm–petrel in England are on the Isles of Scilly with eleven colonies and an...
shearwater colony (15% of world population), and 20% of Europe's population of Europeanstormpetrel, as well as (in 2008) 4,500 Atlantic puffins and 2,000...
European roller European serin European shag European stonechat EuropeanstormpetrelEuropean turtle dove Evening grosbeak Everett's scops owl Everett's thrush...
Global Information
