Once a casual visitor to eastern Australia, locally abundant in waters between Fraser Island, Qld and south-eastern Tasmania from March - November. Regular visitor to coasts off northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland from April - October, with the numbers declining moving southward.
Habitat
Marine, pelagic, in sub-tropical and tropical waters of the south-western Pacific Ocean, some birds migrating north in the non-breeding season.
American Samoa (NB), Australia (B), Cook Islands (NB), Eastern Central Pacific (NB), Eastern Indian Ocean (NB), New Caledonia (NB), Norfolk Island (B), Northeast Pacific (NB), Northwest Pacific (NB), Palau (NB), Southwest Pacific (B) (NB), United States Minor Outlying Islands (NB), USA (NB), Wallis and Futuna Islands (NB), Western Central Pacific (NB).
Voice
Load calling 'kir-rer-rer, kik-kik-kik' during courtship chases on the wing and on the ground during territorial disputes. Shouting. Noisy at colonies uttering a high-pitched warbling 'ker-rer, kuk-kuk-kuk, ker-rer'.
Providence Petrel (Pterodroma solandri) [XC324194]
by Todd Mark from Little Island, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia (flight call)
Providence Petrel (Pterodroma solandri) [XC324195]
by id from Little Island, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia (flight call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
February - November on Lord Howe Island.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Nest
A pile of leaves and palm-frond fragments in a chamber at the end of a burrow.
Eggs (Guide)
1; white; ellipsoidal; about 65 x 48 mm. Incubation: 49 days; both sexes, in shifts.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 120 days.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
The relatively long, wedge-shaped tail is a useful identifier when visible. Murphy's Petrel (Pterodroma ultima) which has more slender bill, whiter throat, and stronger traces of "M" pattern on upperwing, Kermadec Petrel (Pterodroma neglecta) which has white primary shafts on upperwing, Great-winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera), subspecies gouldi has similar face pattern, but is darker.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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