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Leach's Storm-petrel

Hydrobates leucorhous

Vulnerable
Darting across vast oceans, this tiny seabird braves storms and covers incredible distances, earning its reputation as a true master of the open seas.
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Visual Identification

Appearance

Leach's Storm-petrel is a small seabird with predominantly black plumage and a greyish-brown cast. Its most distinctive feature is a white rump patch that contrasts sharply with its dark body. The wings are long and narrow, with a pale bar visible in flight.

Both sexes look alike in size and appearance. Although they do not moult into an alternative plumage post-breeding, their feathers develop a browner, worn appearance. Juveniles closely resemble adults but may have slightly fresher-looking feathers.

Size

Length

18cm to 21cm

Wingspan

43cm to 48cm

Weight

35g to 50g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Black Grey

Secondary Colour

White

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Leach's Storm-petrel can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Leach's Storm-petrel is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Leach's Storm-petrels inhabit open oceans worldwide, breeding on remote islands in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. They nest in burrows or crevices on steep, grassy slopes or rocky cliffs.

During non-breeding seasons, they disperse widely across tropical and subtropical waters. They breed in coastal areas of Canada, the UK, and the United States.

In the US, Leach’s petrels breed in Alaska’s islands and off the Pacific Coast from Washington to California. In Canada, Newfoundland is home to the world’s largest breeding colony of Leach’s petrels.

Breeding in the UK is limited to five sites in the Western Isles, including the St Kilda archipelago, the Flannan Isles, and two islands in Shetland.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 100 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Leach's Storm-petrel. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
  • Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
  • This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

  • More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
  • How birds move around during different seasons
© 2024 - Birdfact
Resident
Breeding
Non-breeding
Passage
Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year
Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Barbados Belize Benin Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Cameroon Cayman Islands China Colombia Congo Côte D'Ivoire Cuba Curaçao Democratic Republic of the Congo Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Equatorial Guinea French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Ireland Japan Kiribati Liberia Martinique Mauritania Mexico Micronesia Montserrat Morocco Nauru Nicaragua Nigeria Panama Peru Puerto Rico Russia Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Seychelles Sint Maarten Suriname The Bahamas The United Kingdom Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Tuvalu United Arab Emirates Venezuela Western Sahara
Species that are present in the area during their breeding season
Canada Faroe Islands Iceland Norway United States of America
Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season
Brazil British Virgin Islands Cape Verde Costa Rica Greenland Guadeloupe Guam Israel Marshall Islands Namibia Netherlands Northern Mariana Islands Palestine Portugal South Africa Spain United States Minor Outlying Islands US Virgin Islands
Species that pass through the area during migration
Bermuda Denmark Ecuador France Spain
Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range
Algeria Australia Austria Belgium Egypt Estonia Finland Gambia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Italy Jamaica Kenya Latvia Lebanon Luxembourg Maldives Malta New Zealand Poland Sierra Leone Sudan Sweden Switzerland Uruguay

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Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:
  • Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
  • Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
  • Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
  • Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
  • Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

  • 0-20: Very Low
  • 21-40: Low
  • 41-60: Average
  • 61-80: High
  • 81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 85

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

Leach's Storm-petrels display remarkable agility, with their erratic, bat-like flight pattern and ability to hover and patter on the water's surface whilst feeding. Their long, narrow wings enable swift and nimble movements, essential for navigating vast oceanic expanses.

Strength 40

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Whilst not particularly strong for their size, these small seabirds possess enough strength to withstand long periods at sea and to dig burrows for nesting. However, their lightweight build (35-50g) limits their overall strength compared to larger seabirds.

Adaptability 90

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Leach's Storm-petrels demonstrate exceptional adaptability. They can drink seawater, excrete excess salt, and thrive in various oceanic environments. Their ability to locate food and nesting sites using their keen sense of smell further showcases their adaptability to challenging marine conditions.

Aggressiveness 30

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Generally non-aggressive, Leach's Storm-petrels are more inclined to avoid confrontation, as evidenced by their nocturnal behaviour at breeding colonies to evade predators. They may display some aggression when defending nesting sites, but this is not a prominent trait.

Endurance 95

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

These birds exhibit remarkable endurance, spending most of their lives at sea and undertaking long-distance migrations. Their ability to survive in harsh oceanic conditions for extended periods, coupled with their long lifespan of over 30 years, indicates exceptional endurance for a small seabird.

Diet

Leach's Storm-petrels primarily feed on small fish, squid, octopus, jellyfish and zooplankton. Chief fish species eaten are rockfish, sandlance and cod.

They often follow ships to scavenge discarded fish and offal. These birds have a keen sense of smell, which they use to locate food sources across vast expanses of ocean.

Behaviour

Leach's Storm-petrels are highly pelagic, spending most of their lives at sea. They feed by picking prey from the water's surface while hovering or pattering with their feet. These birds are nocturnal at their breeding colonies, returning under the cover of darkness to avoid predators.

Vocalisation

At their breeding colonies, Leach's Storm-petrels produce a variety of vocalisations. The most common is a series of chuckling or purring sounds, often described as 'chuckle-chatter.' Males also give a high-pitched 'flight call' that sounds like 'kee-kee-kee' when approaching the nest site.

Nesting & Breeding

Leach's Storm-petrels form long-term pair bonds and return annually to the same breeding sites. The breeding season typically begins in April or May, depending on the location.

Nests are built at the end of burrows or in rock crevices lined with grass, feathers, or other soft materials. Females lay a single white egg, often with a faint ring of reddish spots at the larger end.

Both parents share incubation duties for about 41-42 days. Chicks fledge after 60-70 days, receiving care from both parents throughout this period.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Vulnerable [1]

Leach's Storm-petrel is classified as Vulnerable due to significant population declines. Major threats include predation by introduced mammals at breeding sites, light pollution causing disorientation, and climate change affecting food availability. Conservation efforts focus on predator control and habitat protection on breeding islands.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

20,000,000 individuals [2]

Global Population Trend

[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Birdwatching Tips

  • Look for Leach's Storm-petrels far offshore, especially during storms or strong winds
  • Observe their distinctive flight pattern: erratic and bat-like with rapid wingbeats
  • Listen for their eerie, chuckling calls at night near breeding colonies
  • Join pelagic birding trips for the best chances of spotting these elusive seabirds

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Leach's Petrel

Family:

Hydrobatidae

Average Lifespan

20 to 25 years

Predators

Main predators include large gulls, skuas, ravens, and introduced mammals such as rats and cats on breeding islands.

Did You Know?

  1. Leach's Storm-petrels can drink seawater and excrete excess salt through special glands.
  2. They can live for over 30 years, making them one of the longest-lived small seabirds.
  3. These birds have an excellent sense of smell, rare among birds, which they use to find food and their nesting burrows.

References

  1. 1

    website: BirdLife International. 2018. Hydrobates leucorhous. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T132438298A132438484.

    View source
  2. 2 3

    report: Huntingdon et al. 1996, Lormee et al. 2012, BirdLife International 2015, Environment Canada unpublished data, Japanese Ministry of Environment, unpublished data

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