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Procellariidae - Petrels, Shearwaters, Fulmars

There are 66 species of seabirds in this family. They range in size and are found around the world.

They have long, pointed wings; hooked bills; and tubular nostrils.

They arrive at their nesting sites at night and nest in colonies on ocean islands or coasts.

Females lay a single egg in a burrow in the ground. Both the male and female incubate the egg.

They eat fish, squid, krill, copepods, and amphipods. Many of the species in this family are migratory.

  • Buller's shearwater on islands off the coast of New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Buller's Shearwater
    (Ardenna bulleri)
    Buller's shearwater on islands off the coast of New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The flesh-footed shearwater breeds on St Paul Island in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, on Australia's Lord Howe Island, in south and southwest mainland Australia, and on New Zealand's North Island. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Flesh-Footed Shearwater
    (Ardenna carneipes)
    The flesh-footed shearwater breeds on St Paul Island in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, on Australia's Lord Howe Island, in south and southwest mainland Australia, and on New Zealand's North Island. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The pink-footed shearwater breeds in the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile. In the non-breeding season, it can be found in North America along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Pink-Footed Shearwater
    (Ardenna carneipes)
    The pink-footed shearwater breeds in the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile. In the non-breeding season, it can be found in North America along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The great shearwater breeds in the south Atlantic Ocean on Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Island. In non-breeding season, it can be found off the coast of New Hampshire. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Great Shearwater
    (Ardenna gravis)
    The great shearwater breeds in the south Atlantic Ocean on Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Island. In non-breeding season, it can be found off the coast of New Hampshire. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The sooty shearwater breeds on islands off New Zealand, Australia and Chile, and in the Falkland Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Sooty Shearwater
    (Ardenna griseus)
    The sooty shearwater breeds on islands off New Zealand, Australia and Chile, and in the Falkland Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The wedge-tailed shearwater breeds on islands in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Wedge-Tailed Shearwater
    (Ardenna pacificus)
    The wedge-tailed shearwater breeds on islands in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The short-tailed shearwater breeds on Tasmania and off the coast of south Australia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Short-Tailed Shearwater
    (Ardenna tenuirostris)
    The short-tailed shearwater breeds on Tasmania and off the coast of south Australia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • Bulwer's petrel breeds in the eastern Atlantic from the Azores to Cape Verde, in the Pacific from eastern China and Japan's Bonin Islands east to the Hawaiian Islands and the Marquesas Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Bulwer's Petrel
    (Bulweria bulwerii)
    Bulwer's petrel breeds in the eastern Atlantic from the Azores to Cape Verde, in the Pacific from eastern China and Japan's Bonin Islands east to the Hawaiian Islands and the Marquesas Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The streaked shearwater breeds in the western Pacific on the coast and on offshore islands of Japan, Russia, China, North Korea, and South Korea. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Streaked Shearwater
    (Calonectris leucomelas)
    The streaked shearwater breeds in the western Pacific on the coast and on offshore islands of Japan, Russia, China, North Korea, and South Korea. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The Cape petrel breeds on Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Cape Petrel
    (Daption capense)
    The Cape petrel breeds on Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The northern fulmar breeds in the north Atlantic and north Pacific. In the North America, it breeds from Alaska to British Columbia on the Pacific Coast and from Nunavut on the Arctic Ocean southeast to Newfoundland on the Atlantic Coast. It can be found in the coastal waters of New Hampshire, but it does not breed there. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Northern Fulmar
    (Fulmarus glacialis)
    The northern fulmar breeds in the north Atlantic and north Pacific. In the North America, it breeds from Alaska to British Columbia on the Pacific Coast and from Nunavut on the Arctic Ocean southeast to Newfoundland on the Atlantic Coast. It can be found in the coastal waters of New Hampshire, but it does not breed there. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The southern fulmar breeds along the coast and outlying islands of Antarctica. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Southern Fulmar
    (Fulmarus glacialoides)
    The southern fulmar breeds along the coast and outlying islands of Antarctica. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The southern giant-petrel breeds on the Antarctic and on sub-Antarctic islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Southern Giant-Petrel
    (Macronectes giganteus)
    The southern giant-petrel breeds on the Antarctic and on sub-Antarctic islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The northern giant-petrel breeds on sub-Antarctic islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Northern Giant-Petrel
    (Macronectes halli)
    The northern giant-petrel breeds on sub-Antarctic islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The slender-billed prion breeds on the Crozet Islands and the Kerguelen Islands, the Falkland islands, and Noir Island, Chile. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Slender-Billed Prion
    (Pachyptila belcheri)
    The slender-billed prion breeds on the Crozet Islands and the Kerguelen Islands, the Falkland islands, and Noir Island, Chile. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The fairy prion breeds on New Zealand's Chatham Islands, Snares Islands, and Antipodes Islands; Australia's Bass Strait Islands; the Crozet Islands in the south Indian Ocean and the Falkland Islands and South Georgia in the south Atlantic Ocean. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Fairy Prion
    (Pachyptila turtur)
    The fairy prion breeds on New Zealand's Chatham Islands, Snares Islands, and Antipodes Islands; Australia's Bass Strait Islands; the Crozet Islands in the south Indian Ocean and the Falkland Islands and South Georgia in the south Atlantic Ocean. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The snow petrel breeds on Antarctica and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Snow Petrel
    (Pagodroma nivea)
    The snow petrel breeds on Antarctica and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The white-chinned petrel breeds on South Georgia; South Africa's Prince Edward Islands; the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands; New Zealand's Auckland, Campbell and Antipodes Islands; and in the Falkland Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    White-Chinned Petrel
    (Procellaria aequinoctialis)
    The white-chinned petrel breeds on South Georgia; South Africa's Prince Edward Islands; the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands; New Zealand's Auckland, Campbell and Antipodes Islands; and in the Falkland Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The black petrel breeds on New Zealand's Great and Little Barrier Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Black Petrel
    (Procellaria parkinsoni)
    The black petrel breeds on New Zealand's Great and Little Barrier Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The westland petrel breeds on New Zealand's South Island. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
    Westland Petrel
    (Procellaria westlandica)
    The westland petrel breeds on New Zealand's South Island. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
  • The Mascarene petrel breeds on Réunion island in the Indian Ocean. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
    Mascarene Petrel
    (Pseudobulweria aterrima)
    The Mascarene petrel breeds on Réunion island in the Indian Ocean. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
  • The Tahiti petrel breeds on Marquesas, Society, and Gambier Islands in the South Pacific. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Tahiti Petrel
    (Pseudobulweria rostrata)
    The Tahiti petrel breeds on Marquesas, Society, and Gambier Islands in the South Pacific. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The black-capped petrel breeds in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
    Black-Capped Petrel
    (Pterodroma hasitata)
    The black-capped petrel breeds in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
  • The Bonin petrel breeds on Japan's Bonin and Volcano Islands and on the western Hawaiian Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Bonin Petrel
    (Pterodroma hypoleuca)
    The Bonin petrel breeds on Japan's Bonin and Volcano Islands and on the western Hawaiian Islands. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The mottled petrel breeds on islands in New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Mottled Petrel
    (Pterodroma inexpectata)
    The mottled petrel breeds on islands in New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The white-winged petrel breeds in Australia and New Caledonia. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    White-Winged Petrel
    (Pterodroma leucoptera)
    The white-winged petrel breeds in Australia and New Caledonia. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The great-winged petrel breeds on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Islands in the South Atlantic, the Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, and Prince Edward Islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, and on the coasts of southern Australia and northern New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Great-Winged Petrel
    (Pterodroma macroptera)
    The great-winged petrel breeds on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Islands in the South Atlantic, the Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, and Prince Edward Islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, and on the coasts of southern Australia and northern New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Kermadec petrel breeds on islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Kermadec Petrel
    (Pterodroma neglecta)
    The Kermadec petrel breeds on islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Providence petrel breeds on Australia's Lord Howe Island and Phillip Island in the southwest Pacific. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Providence Petrel
    (Pterodroma solandri)
    The Providence petrel breeds on Australia's Lord Howe Island and Phillip Island in the southwest Pacific. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The fluttering shearwater breeds in New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Fluttering Shearwater
    (Puffinus gavia)
    The fluttering shearwater breeds in New Zealand. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Christmas Island shearwater breeds on islands in the central Pacific from the Hawaiian Islands south to Phoenix Island and east to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, and Easter Island. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Christmas Island Shearwater
    (Puffinus nativitatis)
    The Christmas Island shearwater breeds on islands in the central Pacific from the Hawaiian Islands south to Phoenix Island and east to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, and Easter Island. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Manx shearwater breeds in the North Atlantic on the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland. It can be found off the coast of New Hampshire, but it does not breed there. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Manx Shearwater
    (Puffinus puffinus)
    The Manx shearwater breeds in the North Atlantic on the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland. It can be found off the coast of New Hampshire, but it does not breed there. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Antarctic petrel breeds on islands off the Antarctic coastline. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Antarctic Petrel
    (Thalassoica antarctica)
    The Antarctic petrel breeds on islands off the Antarctic coastline. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern

Did You Know?

The Cape petrel is such a common bird in the Southern Ocean that it is also known as the Cape pigeon.
The Cape petrel is such a common bird in the Southern Ocean that it is also known as the Cape pigeon.

World Status Key

Status and range is taken from IUCN Redlist

Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct
Not Enough Data

U.S. Status Key

Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife

Threatened in US
Endangered in US
Introduced

NH Status Key

Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Threatened in NH
Endangered in NH
Breeds in NH (birds)

Location Key

Africa
Asia
Australia/Oceania
Europe
North/Central America
south america alt
South America

New Hampshire Species

No animals found.

Other Species Around the World

No animals found.

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