Soft-plumaged Petrel

Pterodroma mollis (Gould, 1844)

312 gWeight

Busiest months: February · Most records: Australia, Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February · Most records: Australia, Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

Soft-plumaged Petrel has been recorded at 45 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic TripAustralia704 records
Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands152 records
Drake PassageAntarctica41 records

More places

Nightingale IslandSt. Helena17 records
Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands15 records
Hercules BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands14 records
Table Mt. NP – Cape of Good HopeSouth Africa13 records
Cap RatmanoffFrench Southern Territories11 records
Poor Knights Shelf AreaNew Zealand11 records
Nearshore waters (0-2mi/3km) - AnchorageSt. Helena10 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia Falkland Islands South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Antarctica St. Helena New Zealand French Southern Territories South Africa

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Soft-plumaged Petrel?

The Soft-plumaged Petrel weighs around 312 g.

Where does the Soft-plumaged Petrel live?

Its breeding range: Southern Ocean: subtropical to subantarctic islands of South Indian and South Atlantic oceans, from Tristan da Cunha and Gough (south-central Atlantic) to Maatsuyker Island (south of Tasmania), Macquarie (far southeast of Australia) and Antipodes (southeast of Stewart Island, New Zealand). It is most often recorded in Australia, Falkland Islands and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands.

When is the best time to see the Soft-plumaged Petrel?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Soft-plumaged Petrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Soft-plumaged Petrel as Least Concern.

What does the Soft-plumaged Petrel eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Soft-plumaged Petrel in?

It belongs to the family Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels (Procellariidae), order Procellariiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 312 g
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Varied
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 243 mm
Tail: 95 mm
Bill: 27 mm
Tarsus: 32 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Southern Ocean: subtropical to subantarctic islands of South Indian and South Atlantic oceans, from Tristan da Cunha and Gough (south-central Atlantic) to Maatsuyker Island (south of Tasmania), Macquarie (far southeast of Australia) and Antipodes (southeast of Stewart Island, New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2