Fea's Petrel

The Fea's petrel, Pterodroma feae, is a small seabird with a graceful and agile flight, reminiscent of a winged runner, which is indeed the origin of its genus name from the Ancient Greek. It is characterized by its long wings, spanning between 86 to 94 centimeters, and a body length of 33 to 36 centimeters. The upperparts are a sleek grey, adorned with a distinctive dark "W" across the wings, while the underwings are darker, contrasting with the white belly. The species is named in honor of the Italian zoologist Leonardo Fea.

Identification Tips

When observing the Fea's petrel, look for its larger size and thicker black bill compared to the closely related Zino's petrel. The dark "W" marking on the wings is a key feature, as is the fast, impetuous flight pattern. It can be distinguished from similar species by its size and bill dimensions, with a wing length of about 262 millimeters and a bill length of approximately 29 millimeters.

Habitat

The Fea's petrel is known to breed on a select few islands within the Cape Verde archipelago in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Distribution

This species has a limited distribution, breeding on the islands of Fogo, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, and Santiago in Cape Verde.

Behaviour

Fea's petrels exhibit nocturnal habits at their breeding sites to evade predators such as gulls. Their walking ability is limited, often resulting in a short shuffle to their burrows.

Breeding

The Fea's petrel is a colonial nester, laying a single white egg in burrows during the spring and autumn seasons. Their breeding strategy involves strict nocturnality at nesting sites to avoid predation.

Conservation Status

The Fea's petrel is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it faces threats that could lead to its vulnerability in the near future. Conservation efforts are important to ensure the survival of this species.