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Alternative name: Elliot's Storm Petrel

Oceanites gracilis

Photo by Momo

[edit] Identification

Sooty-black, white rump extends to side of the body, white belly difficult to see (at least found on subspecies gracilis), wings with straight trailing edge are dark both above and below but with pale panel on upperside, long legs which extend beyond the body in flight.

[edit] Similar Species

Very similar to but smaller than Wilson's Storm Petrel, and flies faster and more irregularly; Wilson's Storm Petrel lacks the white belly patch. Both Black-bellied Storm Petrel and White-bellied Storm Petrel have white underwing continuing into the white central underside.

[edit] Distribution

South America and Galapagos.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are two subspecies, O. g. gracilis, which is found in the Humboldt Current off Peru and Chile, and O. g. galapagoensis, which is found in the waters around the Galapagos Islands.

[edit] Habitat

Except when breeding, this is a pelagic species

[edit] Behaviour

It forages close to the shore.

[edit] External Links