Magellanic Diving-Petrel

This 20cm bird is the easiest of its family to identify at sea. Like other diving petrels, it is a compact bird, mainly black above and white below, and similar in shape and size to a Little Auk, the resemblances with that unrelated seabird being due to convergence evolution, since both dive for fish.

The Magellanic Diving-Petrel is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Magellanic Diving-petrel (Pelecanoides magellani), is a diving-petrel, one of four very similar auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans. This species occurs around the coasts of southernmost South America. This 20cm bird is the easiest of its family to identify at sea. More

The Magellanic Diving-Petrel (Pelecanoides magellani) is one of the four members of the Pelecanoididae, a tubenose family only represented in the Southern Ocean. This is a inshore species, not highly pelagic, which inhabits the many channels of the Fjord region of southern Chile. Their breeding grounds are still inknown. At sea, diving-petrels are mostly detected by their sudden, fast-flapping, low and straight flight resembling Little Auk or Dovekie of the North Atlantic. More

(spring), Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Common Diving-Petrel, Rock Cormorant, Imperial Cormorant, Flightless Steamer-Duck, Flying Steamer-Duck, Magellanic Oystercatcher, Blackish Oystercatcher, Snowy Sheathbill, Great Skua, Dolphin Gull, Kelp Gull, South American Tern, Dark-Bellied Cinclodes, Blackish Cinclodes (rare), etc. Magellanic Nature Tours - EVyT Leg. N More

The Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Pelecanoides magellani, is one of four members of its family. It is similar in appearance to the Auks of the Northern Hemisphere, a case of convergent evolution fueled by the fact that both groups are ocean dwelling fish eaters. This image was taken in the Beagle Channel, Tierra Del Fuego. If you would like to be informed of future Seabird posts, Click Here. More