Tristram's Storm Petrel (Hydrobates tristrami)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Tristram's Storm Petrel

Hydrobates tristrami (Salvin, 1896)

24–27 cmLength55 cmWingspan89 gWeight

Possibly the largest member of the storm petrel family, it is dark overall with a slightly paler rump.

Busiest months: December–January and April · Most records: U.S. Outlying Islands, Japan, United States

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

  1. Dark overall, with slightly paler rump
  2. A single pale gray band on upperwing
  3. Wings long and angular
  4. Bill stout

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: December–January and April · Most records: U.S. Outlying Islands, Japan, United States

Tristram's Storm Petrel has been recorded at 6 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Midway Atoll NWR – Sand IslandU.S. Outlying Islands71 records
  2. Midway Atoll NWR – Eastern IslandU.S. Outlying Islands27 records
  3. Southeast Farallon IslandUnited States2 records
More places
  1. Miyakejima – Tairo-ikeJapan2 records
  2. Funabashi – Funabashi Sanbanze Seaside ParkJapan2 records
  3. Midway Atoll – Water Catchment AreaU.S. Outlying Islands1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

U.S. Outlying IslandsJapanUnited States

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 Tristram's Storm Petrel?

The Tristram's Storm Petrel is about 24–27 cm long, with a wingspan of 55 cm and weighs around 89 g.

Where does the Tristram's Storm Petrel live?

Its breeding range: Pacific Ocean: Izu, Ogasawara (=Bonin) and formerly Iwo (=Volcano) islands (south of Japan), and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is most often recorded in U.S. Outlying Islands, Japan and United States.

When is the best time to see the Tristram's Storm Petrel?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, April and December (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Tristram's Storm Petrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Tristram's Storm Petrel as Least Concern.

What does the Tristram's Storm Petrel eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Tristram's Storm Petrel in?

It belongs to the family Northern Storm Petrels (Hydrobatidae), order Procellariiformes.

At a glance

Length
24–27 cm
Wingspan
55 cm
Weight
89 g
Habitat
Ocean
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
177 mm
Tail
92 mm
Bill
20 mm
Tarsus
27 mm

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

Range

Pacific Ocean: Izu, Ogasawara (=Bonin) and formerly Iwo (=Volcano) islands (south of Japan), and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Northern Storm Petrels Hydrobatidae
Genus
Hydrobates

Other birds in the genus Hydrobates

European Storm PetrelEuropean Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicusFork-tailed Storm PetrelFork-tailed Storm PetrelHydrobates furcatusRinged Storm PetrelRinged Storm PetrelHydrobates hornbyiSwinhoe's Storm PetrelSwinhoe's Storm PetrelHydrobates monorhisMatsudaira's Storm PetrelMatsudaira's Storm PetrelHydrobates matsudairaeLeach's Storm PetrelLeach's Storm PetrelHydrobates leucorhousTownsend's Storm PetrelTownsend's Storm PetrelHydrobates socorroensisAinley's Storm PetrelAinley's Storm PetrelHydrobates cheimomnestesAshy Storm PetrelAshy Storm PetrelHydrobates homochroaBand-rumped Storm PetrelBand-rumped Storm PetrelHydrobates castroMonteiro's Storm PetrelMonteiro's Storm PetrelHydrobates monteiroiCape Verde Storm PetrelCape Verde Storm PetrelHydrobates jabejabe
Tristram's Storm Petrel

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Hiroyuki TANOI. ↗

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