Petrel: Difference between revisions

The petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. They occur in three families within that group, which also includes the Albatross family, Diomedeidae and the Tropicbirds Phaethontidae.

The family Procellariidae includes a number of petrel groups

• The huge giant petrels, genus Macronectes
• The fulmars, genus Fulmaris
• The prions, genus Macronectes
• The gadfly petrels. These are medium to large petrels in the genera
  • Daption
  • Halobaena
  • Thalassoica
  • Adamastor
  • Procellaria
  • Pterodroma
  • Pagodroma
  • Bulweria

The family Hydrobatidae is the Storm petrels, small pelagic petrels with a fluttering flight which often follow ships.

The family Pelacanoididae is the four species of diving petrels, genus Pelacanoides. These are auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans.