[order] PROCELLARIIFORMES | [family] Hydrobatidae | [latin] Oceanites oceanicus | [authority] Kuhl, 1820 | [UK] Wilsons Storm-petrel | [FR] Oceanite de Wilson | [DE] Buntfuss-Sturmschwalbe | [ES] Paino de Wilson | [NL] Wilsons Stormvogeltje
Subspecies
Monotypic species
Genus
Storm-petrels are rather small and often dark colored tubenoses with a world wide distribution. All have fine black bills with very pronounced tubes. Storm Petrels are separated in two groups: the long legged, Southern Hemisphere birds subfamily Oceanitinae and the shorter legged species of more northern seas the subfamily Hydrobatinae. The first groups shows more morphological differences than the second. The genera are characterised on colour patterns, the condition of the nasal tubes, tail shape, structure of claws and proportions of the leg bones. The genus Oceanites have their plumage black with white upper- and under-tail coverts and sometimes white on the abdomen; bil short, nasal tubes long (about half length of culme); tarsus booted (scales fused to a continuous sheath) or with obscure scutes; claws little flattened, webs yellow.
Physical charateristics
Wilson’s storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) is a small storm-petrel with short, rounded wings and long legs projecting beyond the tail in flight. They are about 18 cm in length with a wing span of approximately 40 cm. Their upperparts are mostly black-brown except for a conspicuous white rump and a pale brown band showing across the greater wing-coverts. Their underside is mainly sooty-brown. Sexes similar to size and coloration.
Listen to the sound of Wilsons Storm-petrel
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/PROCELLARIIFORMES/Hydrobatidae/sounds/Wilsons Storm-petrel.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 38 | cm | wingspan max.: | 59 | cm |
| size min.: | 15 | cm | size max.: | 19 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 38 | days | incubation max.: | 59 | days |
| fledging min.: | 55 | days | fledging max.: | 59 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 1 |
Range
Temperate Ocean, Southern Ocean : widespread. The breeding range of Wilson’s Storm-petrel includes subantarctic islands from Cape Horn (Chile) east to the Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), and also includes coastal Antarctica.
Habitat
Pelagic bird only coming ashore to breed
Reproduction
Wilson’s storm petrels breed on the Antarctic continent, South Georgia, Kerguelen, Falklands, Tierra del Fuego islands off Cape Horn. Non breeders may remain north throughout the year. Wilson’s storm-petrel return to their colonies in November/December and eggs are laid in mid-December. Both parents share the 39-48 day incubation period, taking alternative shifts of about 48 hours. Once the chicks hatch they are fed irregulary by both parents for up to 52 days. Fledging and dispersion begins in April/May At nesting sites Wilson’s storm-petrel are killed by skuas. Starvation, due to the blocking of the burrow by hard snow, is a cause of chick mortality.
Feeding habits
Wilson’s storm petrel are gregarious at sea with flocks reaching several thousands at staging points during migration. They feed by running along the surface of the water with wings outstretched and bill (or their entire head) submerged in the water to scoop in their food, taking minutiae from the surface. They feed on crustacea (amphipods and Euphausia), cephalopods (squid), fish, offal, etc. The birds readily follow ships and attend trawlers, attracted by the left-overs, and cetaceans (whales, dolphins etc).
Video Wilsons Storm-petrel
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmC6P8PHmH8
copyright: R. Mascort
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Wilson’s storm-petrel are numerous and wide ranging. They migrate from their Antarctic breeding grounds to north of the Equator in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Few birds migrating north into the eastern Pacific Ocean. Their range overlaps with many other storm-petrel species. Very rae vagrant in Suriname.
Wilson’s storm-petrel are numerous and wide ranging. They migrate from their Antarctic breeding grounds to north of the Equator in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Few birds migrating north into the eastern Pacific Ocean. Their range overlaps with many other storm-petrel species. Very rae vagrant in Suriname.
Migration
Transequatorial migrant; spends off-season in middle latitudes of North Atlantic and North Indian Oceans. Also in Pacific, where less abundant. May move clockwise round Atlantic. Wilson’s storm-petrel breed on the Antarctic continent, South Georgia, Kerguelen, Falklands, Tierra del Fuego islands off Cape Horn; perhaps also at Peter, Bouvet, Heard, the Balleny Islands and islands off Graham Land. Non breeders may remain north throughout the year.
Wilson’s storm-petrel return to their colonies in November/December and eggs are laid in mid-December (but about one month later at Heard and IlesKerguelen). Both parents share the 39-48 day incubation period, taking alternative shifts of about 48 hours. Once the chicks hatch they are fed irregulary by both parents for up to 52 days. Fledging and dispersion begins in April/May.
Wilson’s storm-petrel return to their colonies in November/December and eggs are laid in mid-December (but about one month later at Heard and IlesKerguelen). Both parents share the 39-48 day incubation period, taking alternative shifts of about 48 hours. Once the chicks hatch they are fed irregulary by both parents for up to 52 days. Fledging and dispersion begins in April/May.
Distribution map
Literature
Title NIDIFICACION y HABITAT DEL PETREL DE WILSON (OCEANITES OCEANICUS) EN PUNTA CIERVA, COSTA DE DANCO, PENINSULA ANTARTICA
Author(s): Jos Luis Orgeira
Abstract: Studies on Wilson’s Storm-Petrel population at Cie..[more]..
Source: ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL 8: 49-56, 1997
Title Nidificacion y habitat del petrel de wilson (Oceani tes oceanicus) en punta cierva, costa de Danco, peninsula antartica
Author(s): Jos Luis Orgeira
Abstract: Studies on Wilson’s Storm-Petrel population at Cie..[more]..
Source: ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL 8: 49-56, 1997
Title AN INFRARED DEVICE FOR FINDING WILSON?S STORM PETREL OCEANITES
OCEANICUS NESTS
OCEANICUS NESTS
Author(s): JOS LUIS ORGEIRA
Abstract: Wilson?s Storm Petrels Oceanites oceanicus usually..[more]..
Source: Marine Ornithology 25: 75- 76 (1997)
Title The food demand in the nest of Wilson?s storm petrel
Author(s): Andrzej K. GEBCZYNSKI
Abstract: Energy delivered to the nests of Wilson?s storm pe..[more]..
Source: Pol. Polar Res. 24 (2): 127-131, 2003
Title WAX DIGESTION IN WILSON?S STORM-PETREL
Author(s): BRYAN S. OBST
Abstract: Captive Wilsons? storm-petrels (Oceanites oceanicu..[more]..
Source: Wilson Bull., 98(2), 1986, pp. 189-195
Title AERODYNAMICS AND HYDRODYNAMICS OF THE ‘HOVERING’ FLIGHT OF WILSON’S STORM PETREL
Author(s): PHILIP C. WITHERS
Abstract: Wilson’s storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) charac..[more]..
Source: J. exp. Biol. (1979). 80, 83-91