From Opus

Alternative name: Madeiran Storm-Petrel

Photo by Glen Tepke
Atlantic near Hydrographer Canyon, south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA, August 2005

Oceanodroma castro

[edit] Identification

19-21cm

• Sooty-brown plumage
• Narrow, rectangular, white rump patch
• Slightly forked tail
• Dark bill with tube on top.

[edit] Similar Species

Leach's Storm-Petrel:

[edit] Distribution

Breeds on the Azores and Madeira in the Atlantic, and the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. Otherwise pelagic.

[edit] Taxonomy

As treated here, this taxon is monotypic.

Cape Verde Storm Petrel and Monteiro's Storm Petrel have been split from this species recently. Additionally, there may be two additional taxons waiting to be described.

[edit] Habitat

Pelagic.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Flight

Quick wing beats between glides on bowed wings.

[edit] Breeding

It nests in colonies close to the sea in rock crevices and lays a single white egg. Nests are visited only at night.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes invertebrates, small vertebrates and sometimes carrion.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
3. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
4. USGS

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages