Grey-backed storm petrel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Procellariiformes
Family: Oceanitidae
Genus: Garrodia
Forbes, WA, 1881
Species:
G. nereis
Binomial name
Garrodia nereis
(Gould, 1841)
Synonyms
  • Oceanites nereis

The grey-backed storm petrel (Garrodia nereis) is a species of seabird in the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is monotypic within the genus Garrodia.[2] It is found in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Falkland Islands, French Southern Territories, New Zealand, Saint Helena, South Africa, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Its natural habitat is open seas.[1] It is highly attracted to bright lights, especially in conditions of low visibility.[3]

Taxonomy

The genus Garrodia was created by William Alexander Forbes in 1881[2] and named after English zoologist Alfred Henry Garrod,[4] while the specific descriptor is an allusion to the Nereids, the sea nymphs of Greek mythology.[5]

Description

Grey-backed storm petrel is a small bird, 21-44 g in weight with a 39-40 cm wingspan. Like others in its family it is dark grey overall with a black head and belly, but it can be distinguished from other storm-petrels in its range by its light grey rump compared to the white rump on others. The Grey-backed petrel has a pale back, black legs, a square tail and a white belly.

Distribution

The grey-backed storm petrel has a distribution in the subantarctic in three disjunct populations, with one off of South America, on off of South Africa, and one off of Australia. It breeds in the Falkland Islands,[6] Chatham Islands, Gough Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Island, the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands, and Fiordland on the New Zealand mainland.[7]

Behaviour

Grey-backed storm petrels are mostly solitary during the non-breeding season. They breed in large colonies from August to March, where they share parental duties.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Garrodia nereis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22729148A132660152. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22729148A132660152.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "ITIS Report: Garrodia". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Garrodia nereis (Gould). Grey-backed Storm-Petrel. Océanite néréide.", The Birds of Africa, Academic Press Limited, retrieved 2023-09-16
  4. ↑ Jobling (2010), p. 171.
  5. ↑ Jobling (2010), p. 268.
  6. ↑ "Grey-backed Storm-petrel Garrodia nereis". BirdLife International. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Miskelly, Colin; Bishop, Colin R; Stahl, Jean-Claude; Tennyson, Alan J.D. (June 2021). "Further evidence in support of grey-backed storm petrels (Garrodia nereis) breeding in Fiordland". Notornis. 68: 177–181. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

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