The Storm Petrel (family Hydrobatidae) is a marvel of the avian world. Barely larger than a swallow, it is the smallest seabird on the planet. Despite its delicate appearance, this tiny bird is a true ocean warrior, spending nearly its entire life far from land, braving the open sea and its fiercest storms. Its mysterious habits and ethereal flight have earned it a mythical status among sailors and birdwatchers alike.
Identifying this tiny wanderer at sea can be a challenge, but a few key features stand out.
Think small. A Storm Petrel is about the size of a House Martin or a swallow. Its plumage is mostly sooty-black or dark brown, but the most distinctive feature is a bright white patch on its rump, which is very conspicuous in flight. This white "U" shape above the tail is often the first thing you'll notice.
The Storm Petrel's flight is unlike any other seabird. It is fluttery and erratic, resembling the flight of a bat. They fly low over the waves, often changing direction abruptly as they search for food on the surface.
The most magical behavior of the Storm Petrel is its feeding technique. The bird hovers and flutters just above the ocean surface, facing into the wind. It then lowers its webbed feet and paddles or "patters" on the water's surface. This action is not for support, but to stir up tiny prey like plankton, small fish, and crustaceans from just below the surface.
This "dancing" on the waves is what gave the petrel its name, a diminutive of "Peter," referring to Saint Peter who famously walked on water.
The Storm Petrel is a truly pelagic species, living on the open ocean across the globe. It only comes to land for one reason: to breed. It nests in colonies on remote, predator-free islands.
To avoid predators like gulls and skuas, which would easily prey on such a small bird, the Storm Petrel has adopted a strictly nocturnal lifestyle on its breeding grounds. Adults arrive and depart from their burrows, hidden in rock crevices or under vegetation, only under the cover of complete darkness. This makes observing them on land an incredibly difficult and special experience.
While some species are numerous, many Storm Petrel populations are in decline and considered vulnerable. Their greatest threats are on their breeding islands. The introduction of terrestrial predators like rats and cats has decimated entire colonies. They are also highly susceptible to light pollution from ships and coastal developments, which can disorient them, and to pollution at sea, such as oil spills.
Sailors of old believed these birds sought shelter in the wake of ships during bad weather, and their appearance was often seen as an omen of an approaching storm. Their ability to handle rough seas is truly remarkable.
Its diet consists of the smallest marine life. They feed on zooplankton, tiny crustaceans (like krill), small fish, and oil droplets they find on the ocean's surface.
Almost! Apart from the breeding season when they tend to their single egg and chick in a burrow on land, they spend every moment—eating, sleeping, and traveling—on the wing over the open ocean, often for years at a time as juveniles.