Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)
Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo)
Rarely seen, small petrel. Compact with shorter wings and tail, and blacker plumage than Leach's Storm-Petrel. Squared, unforked tail. White patch on upper tail coverts that reaches down on each side, with more square-cut edges than in Leach's. Also lacks the grey upper wing-band of latter, but shows white stripe on underside of wing. Flight-pattern bat-like with quick fluttering wing-beats and less powerful, and only short, gliding sequences. Sometimes patters with feet on the surface or rests on water. Visits breeding ground at night.
Sound:Heard at breeding ground. Dry, cyclic, rattling and cooing, interrupted by deeper nasal moaning or a higher pitched "kee-ee-kee", with emphasis on second syllable.
Song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSmaller and more delicate than Crane. Front of neck and chest black, with long plumes. Immatures show only faint black markings on neck and head. Upper wing lacks pale patch close to alula, and show little contrast between secondary and primary coverts. Easily mistaken for Crane in flight if black chest is not visible. Identification by call then helpful. Wing beats significantly faster than in Crane.
Sound:Recalls Crane but timbre very dry, almost rasping and pitch higher.
Call:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC