Storm petrel

Last updated
European storm petrels of the family Hydrobatidae. European Storm Petrel From The Crossley ID Guide Eastern Birds.jpg
European storm petrels of the family Hydrobatidae.
Wilson's storm petrel, of the family Oceanitidae. Oceanites oceanicus - SE Tasmania.jpg
Wilson's storm petrel, of the family Oceanitidae.

Storm petrel or stormy petrel may refer to one of two bird families, both in the order Procellariiformes, once treated as the same family.

Up and down!—up and down!
From the base of the wave to the billow's crown,
And amidst the flashing and feathery foam
The stormy petrel finds a home,—
A home, if such a place may be
For her who lives on the wide, wide sea.

O’er the deep!—o'er the deep!
Where the whale and the shark and the sword-fish sleep,—
Outflying the blast and the driving rain,
The petrel telleth her tale—in vain!

From "The Stormy Petrel", a poem by Barry Cornwall [1]

The two families are:

Common nameScientific nameStatus
European storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicusLC
Fork-tailed storm petrel Hydrobates furcatusLC
Ringed storm petrel Hydrobates hornbyiNT
Leach's storm petrel Hydrobates leucorhousLC
Townsend's storm petrel Hydrobates socorroensisEN
Ainley's storm petrel Hydrobates cheimomnestesVU
Swinhoe's storm petrel Hydrobates monorhisNT
Ashy storm petrel Hydrobates homochroaEN
Band-rumped storm petrel Hydrobates castroLC
Monteiro's storm petrel Hydrobates monteiroiVU
Cape Verde storm petrel Hydrobates jabejabeLC
Wedge-rumped storm petrel Hydrobates tethysLC
Black storm petrel Hydrobates melaniaLC
Guadalupe storm petrel Hydrobates macrodactylusCR (Probably Extinct)
Markham's storm petrel Hydrobates markhamiNT
Matsudaira's storm petrel Hydrobates matsudairaeVU
Tristram's storm petrel Hydrobates tristramiLC
Least storm petrel Hydrobates microsomaLC
Common nameScientific nameStatus
Wilson's storm petrel Oceanites oceanicusLC
Pincoya storm petrel Oceanites pincoyaeDD
Elliot's storm petrel Oceanites gracilisDD
Grey-backed storm petrel Garrodia nereisLC
White-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marinaLC
White-bellied storm petrel Fregetta grallariaLC
New Zealand storm petrel Fregetta maorianaCR
Black-bellied storm petrel or Gould's storm petrelFregetta tropicaLC
Polynesian storm petrel (including white-throated storm petrel)Nesofregetta fuliginosaEN

References