Derivation
Frë-get'-ta - N.L., altered from fregata, a frigate: trop'-i-ca - L., tropicus, tropical
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.
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 Sâo Tomé e Principe, St Helena, USA.
Population
Estimated population is 500,000 (2010).
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) [XC863036]
by id from Mayes island, France (song)
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).
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