The white-bellied storm petrel is a species of seabird in the family Oceanitidae. It is found in Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Maldives, Namibia, New Zealand, Perú, Saint Helena, and South Africa. Its natural habitat is open seas.
Region
Southern Hemisphere oceans
Typical Environment
The white-bellied storm petrel inhabits warm-temperate to subtropical waters of the South Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It ranges far offshore over deep pelagic waters, often near convergence zones, upwellings, shelf edges, and seamounts. The species rarely approaches coastlines except near breeding islands. During the breeding season it returns to remote oceanic islands, nesting in burrows, rock crevices, and among boulders on steep slopes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small tubenose spends most of its life over the open ocean, only coming to land to breed on remote islands. It shows a distinctive white belly contrasting with dark upperparts and broad dark underwing margins, and often forages by pattering its feet on the surface while picking prey. At breeding colonies it is mostly nocturnal to avoid predators, calling from burrows and crevices. It can be confused with the Black-bellied Storm Petrel, but lacks the solid dark belly patch.
Fregetta grallaria by John Gould
Temperament
solitary at sea, colonial when breeding
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with buoyant glides, often pattering on the water surface
Social Behavior
Breeds colonially on remote islands, nesting in burrows, rock crevices, or among boulders. Largely nocturnal at colonies, presumably to reduce predation risk. Pairs are monogamous, laying a single egg with incubation and chick-rearing shared by both adults.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Mostly silent at sea, but at night around colonies it gives rapid chattering trills and purring, squeaky notes from within burrows. Calls are soft and carry only a short distance, aiding communication without attracting predators.
