Mottled Petrel
Mottled Petrel
Pterodroma inexpectata
At a Glance
Nesting only on islands around New Zealand, this species wanders widely in the Pacific. A few reach Alaska's offshore waters in summer, and there are records far off the coast south to California, mostly in winter.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Gull-like Birds, Shearwaters and Petrels
IUCN Status
Near Threatened
Habitat
Open Ocean
Region
Alaska and The North, California
Behavior
Flap/Glide
Population
780.000
Range & Identification
Description
14" (36 cm). Long-winged and fast-flying. Mostly pale gray above, with darker gray M" pattern across wings. Underparts mostly white, with large gray patch across belly. Underside of wings bright white with bold black bar.
Size
About the size of a Crow
Color
Black, Gray, White
Wing Shape
Long, Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Pointed, Rounded, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Usually silent at sea.
Call Pattern
Flat
Call Type
Raucous, Scream
Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Mottled Petrel