The fork-tailed storm petrel is a small seabird of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae. It is the second-most abundant and widespread storm petrel and is the only bird in its family that is bluish-grey in colour.
Region
North Pacific Ocean
Typical Environment
Breeds on offshore islands and coastal cliffs from the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska south through British Columbia to northern California, with pelagic dispersal across the North Pacific outside the breeding season. It frequents cold to cool-temperate offshore waters, especially along continental shelf edges and upwelling zones. Nests are placed in burrows, rock crevices, or among boulders with sparse vegetation, typically on predator-poor islands. At sea it ranges widely and may occur far from land for months.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This is the only storm petrel with a largely bluish-grey plumage, and it sports a distinctly forked tail. It can drink seawater and excretes excess salt via specialized glands. Using a keen sense of smell to detect dimethyl sulfide, it locates patchy prey at sea and feeds chicks with energy-rich stomach oil.
The forked tail is more easily seen from above.
The fork-tailed storm petrel frequents the open ocean and only returns to land to breed.
The fork-tailed storm petrel incubates a single egg in its burrow.
A fork-tailed storm petrel chick
Temperament
solitary and pelagic
Flight Pattern
buoyant flight with quick fluttering wingbeats interspersed with glides; often hovers and patters on the water surface while feeding
Social Behavior
Highly colonial breeder nesting in burrows or crevices, usually on predator-poor islands. Mostly nocturnal at colonies to avoid predation. Pairs are monogamous, lay a single egg, and both sexes share incubation and chick-rearing using rich stomach oil.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
At sea it is generally silent; at colonies it gives soft, chattering trills and purring calls, often delivered at night. Vocalizations are used for mate recognition and territory within the nesting burrow.
