Herald Petrel
Encyclopedia
The Trindade Petrel, Pterodroma arminjoniana, is a species of seabird
and a member of the gadfly petrel
s. The bird
is 35-39 cm in size, with a 88-102 cm wingspan.
The petrel
has 2 color morphs, a dark phase and a light phase, with intergrades between the two also occurring. There are also 2 separate populations, one occurring in the south Pacific, sometimes seen in Hawaii
; the other occurring in the south Atlantic, nesting off Brazil
, with rare sightings in the Gulf Stream
off the southeastern United States
. The little-known Pacific subspecies Pterodroma (arminjoniana) heraldica may be a distinct species (Herald Petrel).
It uses oceanic islands, atolls, nesting on cliff
ledges, ridges or rocky slopes. On some islands, nesting birds are threatened by feral cats and rats
.
Due to ongoing habitat lost and small breeding range, this species is evaluated as Vulnerable
on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
In May 2007, a Herald Petrel tagged on Raine Island in 1984 was observed off the coast of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean
. This greatly increases the known life span and range of the species.
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
and a member of the gadfly petrel
Gadfly petrel
The gadfly petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. These medium to large petrels feed on food items picked from the ocean surface....
s. The bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
is 35-39 cm in size, with a 88-102 cm wingspan.
The petrel
Petrel
Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group...
has 2 color morphs, a dark phase and a light phase, with intergrades between the two also occurring. There are also 2 separate populations, one occurring in the south Pacific, sometimes seen in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
; the other occurring in the south Atlantic, nesting off Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, with rare sightings in the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
off the southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The little-known Pacific subspecies Pterodroma (arminjoniana) heraldica may be a distinct species (Herald Petrel).
It uses oceanic islands, atolls, nesting on cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
ledges, ridges or rocky slopes. On some islands, nesting birds are threatened by feral cats and rats
RATS
RATS may refer to:* RATS , Regression Analysis of Time Series, a statistical package* Rough Auditing Tool for Security, a computer program...
.
Due to ongoing habitat lost and small breeding range, this species is evaluated as Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.
In May 2007, a Herald Petrel tagged on Raine Island in 1984 was observed off the coast of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. This greatly increases the known life span and range of the species.