The Mascarene petrel is a medium-sized, dark petrel.
Region
Southwest Indian Ocean
Typical Environment
At sea, it ranges over pelagic waters around Réunion and the broader Mascarene region, occasionally dispersing toward Mauritius and adjacent offshore waters. It breeds on steep, vegetated volcanic slopes and cliffs in Réunion’s interior, using burrows, rock crevices, or cavities in unstable substrates. Away from colonies it remains strictly oceanic, rarely approaching shore except during storms or when attracted by lights. The species forages over deep water, often far beyond the continental shelf.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Mascarene petrel is a medium-sized, dark petrel that breeds in the highlands of Réunion in the Mascarene Islands. Long considered extremely rare and elusive, it has been rediscovered at breeding sites using nocturnal acoustic surveys. Young and adults are prone to ‘fallout’ when disoriented by city lights, and local rescue programs regularly rehabilitate grounded birds. Predation by invasive cats and rats remains a major threat.
Temperament
Pelagic and secretive, strongly nocturnal at colonies.
Flight Pattern
Dynamic soaring with arcing glides, interspersed with short rapid wingbeats.
Social Behavior
Nests singly or in very small, loose colonies in burrows or rock crevices. Pairs are monogamous, laying a single egg with prolonged incubation and chick-rearing. Adults visit colonies strictly at night to avoid predators and disturbance.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
At night near colonies it gives low, moaning wails and chattering calls, sometimes rising to harsh yelps in flight. Vocalizations are most frequent during courtship and when birds circle above breeding slopes.
Plumage
Mostly uniform sooty-brown to blackish with slightly paler underwing coverts; long, narrow wings give a slim profile.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small fish, squid, and crustaceans taken at or near the surface. It typically seizes prey while skimming low over the water or during brief surface sit-and-grab bouts. It may associate with predatory fish or marine mammals that drive prey upward and will occasionally scavenge small scraps. Foraging often occurs far offshore over deep pelagic zones.
Preferred Environment
Open ocean beyond the continental shelf, including deep-water pelagic fronts and eddies. Rarely seen close to land except near breeding sites or during storms.
