Derivation
Pro-cell-är'-i-a - L., procella, storm; -arius, pertaining to, hence 'associated with storms': ae-quin-oc'-ti-al-is - L., of the equinox(es)
Habitat
Marine, pelagic. In the breeding season in sub-Antarctic, less commonly in the Antarctic Zone, south to the edge of the pack-ice. Move to sub-tropical waters during the non-breeding season.
Antarctica (NB), Argentina (NB), Atlantic (Antarctic) (B) (NB), Australia (B), Brazil (NB), Chile (NB), Indian Ocean (Eastern) (NB), Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (B) (NB), French Southern Territories (B), Heard Island and McDonald Islands (NB), Indian Ocean (Antarctic) (B) (NB), Madagascar (NB), Mozambique (NB), Namibia (NB), New Zealand (B), Pacific Ocean (Antarctic) (NB), Peru, South Africa (B), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (B), Atlantic Ocean (Southeastern) (NB), Pacific Ocean (Southeast) (NB), Atlantic Ocean (Southwestern) (B) (NB), Pacific Ocean (Southwest) (B) (NB), St Helena (NB), Uruguay (NB), Indian Ocean (Western) (NB).
Voice
Generally silent at sea. Loud, shrill, rattling chattering calls given from the surface or in burrows at breeding colonies, the noisiness varying at night.
White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) [XC556527]
by Cristian Pinto from Caminho para Barra da LDP, Brazil (agon\u00edstico)
White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) [XC863986]
by Kevin Guille from Sourcil Noir, France (call, nocturnal flight call, song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds at various sub-Antarctic islands (September - May).
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Nest
A saucer-shaped structure of grass, in a large chamber at the end of a burrow. In colonies.
Eggs (Guide)
1; white; long-oval; about 84 x 55 mm. Incubation: about 55 - 60 days; by both sexes.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in 87 - 106 days.
Subspecies
Procellaria aequinoctialis (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) and Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata) following Brooke (2004).
Has been considered to include Black Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) and Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica). Four additional subspecies have been proposed, but invalidated due to extensive individual variation.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
aequinoctialis Linnaeus, 1758 - Falkland Is and South Georgia east through southern Indian Ocean to Campbell and Antipodes Is.
conspicillata Gould, 1844 - Inaccessible I. (Tristan da Cunha). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata).
Similar Species
Largest all-dark shearwater or petrel. Bulkier than Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica) and Black Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) and lacks black bill tip. Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata) which has diagnostic white eye-rings and dark tip to bill.
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
More... see more information (images, calls, videos etc)
(26Kb) © ? (
BirdLife International Species Factsheet