Appearance:

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

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Dougie Preston, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Long tail, long neck and small head constitutes a characteristic profile. Adult males with grey head, females brown. Tail pattern is typical, and most obvious on adults: A broad dark terminal band and two or three smaller bands at base. Same pattern on flight-feathers. Middle of wing quite broad, creating a straight trailing edge when the bird is gliding with half-open wings. Wings held in a straight angle with primaries pointing slightly downwards when soaring. Tail often fanned and frequently twisted like a Kite to adjust position.

Sound:

Call an ascending, then descending; "pjuuuuu" much thinner than buzzards, and with a distinct register break when changing pitch. May be confused with newly fledged Buzzard chicks.

Call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by OREVER,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license