White-headed Petrel

Pterodroma lessonii (Garnot, 1826)

698 gWeight

The white-headed petrel (Pterodroma lessonii), also known as the white-headed fulmar, is a species of seabird in the petrel family, Procellariidae.

Busiest months: May · Most records: Australia, French Southern Territories, New Zealand

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: May · Most records: Australia, French Southern Territories, New Zealand

White-headed Petrel has been recorded at 17 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic TripAustralia1,114 records
Ile MayèsFrench Southern Territories14 records
Port-aux-FrançaisFrench Southern Territories11 records

More places

Cap RatmanoffFrench Southern Territories9 records
Foveaux StraitNew Zealand9 records
Poor Knights Shelf AreaNew Zealand4 records
Kaikoura – offshore – Albatross Encounter pelagicNew Zealand4 records
Ile HauteFrench Southern Territories3 records
Wharf PointHeard & McDonald Islands2 records
Fortuna BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia French Southern Territories New Zealand South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Falkland Islands Heard & McDonald Islands

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

About

The white-headed petrel (Pterodroma lessonii), also known as the white-headed fulmar, is a species of seabird in the petrel family, Procellariidae. It is about 400 mm (16 in) in length.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the White-headed Petrel?

The White-headed Petrel weighs around 698 g.

Where does the White-headed Petrel live?

Its breeding range: Southern Ocean: subantarctic islands of South Indian and South Pacific oceans, from Crozet (southwestern Indian Ocean) to Antipodes (southeast of Stewart Island) and Auckland islands (south of South Island; New Zealand). It is most often recorded in Australia, French Southern Territories and New Zealand.

When is the best time to see the White-headed Petrel?

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

Is the White-headed Petrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the White-headed Petrel as Least Concern.

What does the White-headed Petrel eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the White-headed Petrel in?

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

At a glance

Weight: 698 g
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Varied
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 304 mm
Tail: 123 mm
Bill: 39 mm
Tarsus: 42 mm

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

Range

Southern Ocean: subantarctic islands of South Indian and South Pacific oceans, from Crozet (southwestern Indian Ocean) to Antipodes (southeast of Stewart Island) and Auckland islands (south of South Island; New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2