Black-bellied Storm-Petrel (Fregetta tropica)

Other Names (World)
Black-bellied Storm-Petrel, Striped Storm-Petrel, Gould's Storm-Petrel, Black-bellied Storm Petrel

Family
Oceanitidae (Southern Storm-petrels)

Size
18 - 20 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Gould, 1844)

Derivation
Frë-get'-ta - N.L., altered from fregata, a frigate: trop'-i-ca - L., tropicus, tropical

Abundance (Guide)
UC

Rare, mainly winter visitor to eastern and southern waters beyond the continental shelf.

Habitat
Marine, pelagic, in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters, migrating to tropical and sub-tropical waters in the non-breeding season. Winter visitor to Australia waters.

Range (Guide)

Antarctica (B), Argentina, Australia (NB), Bouvet Island (B), Brazil, Chile, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), French Polynesia, French Southern Territories (B), Madagascar, Mozambique, New Zealand (B), Oman, Peru, Solomon Islands, South Africa (B), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (B), Uruguay (NB), Vanuatu.

Vagrant to S�o Tom� e Principe, St Helena, USA.

Image of Range of Black-bellied Storm-Petrel

Breeds on various sub-Antarctic islands, including several in New Zealand seas.

Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 500,000 (2010).

Status LC
Secure.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Surface plankton, fat from dead whales or seals.

Voice
A thin, high-pitched whistle, 'huuuuu', a softer, repeated, 'pee-eep-pip-pip-pip-pip-pee-eep-pip-pip'.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (4)...)

Black-bellied Storm Petrel (Fregetta tropica) [XC779769]
by Kevin Guille from Great Wall Station,Antarctic, Antarctica (flight call, nocturnal flight call)

Black-bellied Storm Petrel (Fregetta tropica) [XC622691]
by McKenzie from Ile Haute, France (song)

Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds on various sub-Antarctic islands (November - May).

Nest
In a crevice among rocks. In loose colonies.

Eggs (Guide)
1; white, faintly spotted with red-brown to black; oval; about 37 x 27 mm. Incubation: 38 - 44 days; by both sexes.

Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in 65 - 71 days.

Subspecies
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

tropica (Gould, 1844) - Circumpolar, from islands of Scotia Arc through southern Indian Ocean to Antipodes Is.
melanoleuca Salvadori, 1908 - (?) Tristan da Cunha and Gough I. Subspecies may be invalid or may refer to White-bellied Storm-Petrel (Fregetta grallaria).

Similar Species
White-bellied Storm-Petrel (Fregetta grallaria) which lacks the black stripe on the abdomen and Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) which has all dark underparts and underwing.

Compare Images

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

Files:

JPG files for Black-bellied Storm-Petrel (Fregetta tropica) - 10 files

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BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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