Fulmar Prion (Pachyptila crassirostris)

Family
Procellariidae (Petrels, Shearwaters)

Size
25 - 28 cm
Wingspan: 60 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Mathews, 1912)

Derivation
Pach-y-ptil'-a - Gk, pachys, thick; Gk, ptilon, feather: crass-i-ros'-tris - L., crassus, thick; L., rostrum, bill

Abundance (Guide)
V

Vagrant. Beachwashed specimens observed in Tasmania. Unconfirmed sightings in Victoria and south coast of NSW.

Habitat
Marine, pelagic, in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters, inshore close to breeding islands.

Range (Guide)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands (B), New Zealand (B).

Vagrant to Antarctica, Australia.

Breeds at various sub-Antarctic islands, including Heard Island. Rare vagrant to Australian seas. The only confirmed sighting was a beach-washed specimen in north-west Tasmania, September 1996.

Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 150,000 - 300,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Varied by locality but probably mainly crustaceans.

Voice
Stuttering, low, harsh croaks. Noisy at night in colonies.

(50Kb) © ? (1)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (1)...)

Fulmar Prion (Pachyptila crassirostris) [XC424843]
by Mike Bell\/Dave Boyle from The Forty Fours, Chatham Islands, New Zealand (call)

Fulmar Prion (Pachyptila crassirostris) [XC424842]
by from The Forty Fours, Chatham Islands, New Zealand (call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds at various sub-Antarctic islands, including Heard Island (November - February).

Nest
A scrape of hollow in rocky debris, sometimes lined with feathers, under rocks, in crevices in cliffs, among scree and rock-falls, in caves and under overhangs. In colonies.

Eggs (Guide)
1; smooth, not glossy, white; oval; about 46 x 33 mm.

Subspecies
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:

crassirostris (Mathews, 1912) - Breeds on Chatham, Snares and Bounty islands.
eatoni (Mathews, 1912) - Breeds on Heard and Auckland islands.
pyramidalis Fleming, CA, 1939 - Breeds Chatham islands (New Zealand).
flemingi Tennyson & Bartle, 2005 - Breeds Heard and Auckland islands (New Zealand).

Similar Species
Fairy Prion (Pachyptila turtur), which is not as heavy, has a less heavy bill, slightly darker head, terminal black has white outer edges.

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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