Soft-plumaged Petrel

The soft-plumaged petrel, Pterodroma mollis, presents itself as a medium-sized seabird, cloaked in a dark grey and white plumage. Its wings, narrow and pointed, complement a similarly shaped tail that is distinctive in flight. The bird's head is dark grey, adorned with white feathers gracing the cheeks and throat, and a white speckling upon the forehead. A dark eye patch is notably prominent. The underside is predominantly white, transitioning to dark grey at the underwings. Observers will note the black bill, sharp and hooked, measuring between 25 and 32 millimeters. Legs of a soft pink hue are marked with black on the outer webs and toes.

Identification Tips

When identifying the soft-plumaged petrel, look for the contrast between the dark grey upperparts and the white underparts. The white speckling on the forehead and the dark eye patch are key features, as well as the pointed tail and narrow wings in flight. The pink legs with black markings can also aid in identification.

Habitat

The soft-plumaged petrel is a denizen of the open ocean, only coming ashore to breed on remote islands.

Distribution

Breeding colonies of the soft-plumaged petrel are scattered across the Southern Hemisphere, with nesting sites on Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Islands, Macquarie Island, and the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand. A smaller number breed in the Maatsuyker Island Group of southern Tasmania. Outside the breeding season, these birds disperse widely, reaching eastern South America as far north as Brazil, southern Africa, and Australia. Rare vagrant sightings have been recorded in Israel, Norway, and Jordan.

Song & Calls

The calls of the soft-plumaged petrel are characterized by medium-pitched moans and shrill squeaks, which can be heard during their breeding season on remote islands.

Breeding

The soft-plumaged petrel breeds on isolated islands across the Southern Hemisphere, where it can nest without the threat of terrestrial predators.

Similar Species

This species was once considered conspecific with Fea's petrel (P. feae), Desertas petrel (P. desertae), and Zino's petrel (P. madeira) of the North Atlantic, which are now treated as separate species but share similar morphological characteristics.

Conservation status

The soft-plumaged petrel is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers that would warrant a higher level of concern.