Habitat
Marine, pelagic, mainly in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters. Migration northward in non-breeding season extending into sub-tropical seas in some areas.
Antarctica (NB), Australia, Chile, French Southern Territories, New Zealand (B), South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Vagrant to Argentina, Brazil, Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
Unknown to Uruguay.
New Zealand region at Macquarie, Auckland, Antipodes Is and possibly Campbell I; southern Indian Ocean at Crozet, Kerguelen and possibly Prince Edward Is.
Population
Estimated population is 600,000 (2010).
White-headed Petrel (Pterodroma lessonii) [XC863027]
by Kevin Guille from Mayes island, France (nocturnal flight call, song, adults singing as flying.)
White-headed Petrel (Pterodroma lessonii) [XC555371]
by \u00c9mile Brisson-Curadeau from Mayes, France (nocturnal flight call, song)
Nest
A large chamber at the end of a burrow.
Eggs (Guide)
1; white; rounded-oval; about 75 x 51 mm. Incubation: 60 days; both sexes, in shifts.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 100 days.
Subspecies
Has been considered conspecific with Great-winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera), but timing of breeding cycles quite different. No mixed pairs reported despite extensive sympatry. Atlantic Petrel (Pterodroma incerta) has been considered a sibling species.
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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BirdLife International Species Factsheet