Antarctic Prion

The Antarctic prion, Pachyptila desolata, also known as the dove prion or totorore in Māori, stands as the largest member of its genus. These small petrels of the Southern Ocean are adorned with blue-grey upperparts and a contrasting white underbelly. A distinctive dark "M" pattern stretches across their back to the wingtips, and they possess a white eyebrow, blue-grey bill, and blue feet. Their grey, wedge-shaped tail culminates in a black tip, and their greater coverts are nearly black.

Identification Tips

With a body length of 27 cm (11 in), a wingspan of 61–66 cm (24–26 in), and a weight of 150–160 g (5.3–5.6 oz), the Antarctic prion can be identified by its blue-grey plumage and the dark "M" marking on its back. It is remarkably similar to Salvin's prion, to the extent that they are indistinguishable at sea.

Habitat

The Antarctic prion is a pelagic bird, spending much of its life soaring over the southern oceans.

Distribution

This species breeds on subantarctic islands, including the Auckland Islands, Heard Island, Macquarie Island, Scott Island, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands, Crozet Islands, and the Kerguelen Islands. Outside the breeding season, it roams widely across the southern oceans.

Behaviour

The Antarctic prion is a colonial nester, selecting remote islands in the Southern Ocean as its breeding grounds. Both sexes are involved in nest construction, incubation of their single egg, and rearing of the chick.

Food and Feeding

The diet of the Antarctic prion is predominantly zooplankton. It employs a unique feeding strategy, filtering water through specialized structures in its upper bill to capture its microscopic prey.

Breeding

During the breeding season, Antarctic prions congregate in large colonies on isolated islands. They demonstrate a cooperative approach to reproduction, with both parents sharing responsibilities from nest building to chick rearing.

Conservation status

With an estimated adult population of 50 million individuals and an occurrence range of 76,600,000 km² (29,600,000 sq mi), the Antarctic prion is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This reflects a stable and extensive population, free from immediate threats of decline.