Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Kerguelen Petrel

Aphrodroma brevirostris

The Kerguelen petrel, a member of the Procellariidae family, is a small seabird with a length of 36 cm. It boasts a slate-grey plumage and is the sole species within the genus Aphrodroma. This pelagic bird is a circumpolar resident of the Southern Ocean, known for its seafaring lifestyle.

Identification Tips

When observing the Kerguelen petrel, look for its short bill, which is a distinctive feature among its relatives. Its overall slate-grey coloration is another key characteristic that aids in its identification.

Habitat

The Kerguelen petrel is a pelagic species, which means it spends the majority of its life on the open ocean, far from land.

Distribution

This seabird has a circumpolar distribution in the Southern Ocean. It breeds on various remote southern Atlantic and Indian Ocean islands.

Breeding

Breeding takes place colonially on isolated islands. Notable breeding grounds include Gough Island in the Atlantic and Marion Island, Prince Edward Island, Crozet Islands, and Kerguelen Island in the Indian Ocean. The Kerguelen petrel nests nocturnally, preferring burrows in wet soil that are typically oriented away from prevailing winds. Each breeding season, a single, unusually round egg is laid. Both parents share the responsibility of incubating the egg for 49 days. Once hatched, the chick takes about 60 days to fledge.

Similar Species

While the Kerguelen petrel was once grouped with the gadfly petrels in the genus Pterodroma, it is now recognized as the only species in the genus Aphrodroma, making it quite unique in its appearance and characteristics.

Diet and Feeding

There is no specific information provided about the diet and feeding habits of the Kerguelen petrel in the source content. However, as a member of the Procellariidae family, it likely feeds on a diet consisting of squid, fish, and crustaceans, captured from the ocean surface or just below it.

Conservation status

The Kerguelen petrel is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline or extinction.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Kerguelen Petrels on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Andrew de Blocq
Andrew de Blocq
16 Jul 2016 - 9:44am

More Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels

A photo of a Buller's Shearwater (Ardenna bulleri)

Buller's Shearwater

Ardenna bulleri
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.