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Mottled Petrel
(Pterodroma inexpectata)
: "Scaled Petrel"
Size: 33-35 cm; wing span 74-82 cm
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Mottled Petrels are small seabirds with grey, black
and white plumage.
The cap, back, rump and the trailing side of the upperwings are
grey, with darker wing tips, carpal bar and rump forming an
inconspicuous "M". Silvery tips on the wing coverts create a
silvery-grey sheen. The underparts are mostly grey, except
the chin and throat and the vent and undertail coverts, which
are white. The underwings are white, except for a black fringe
all around and conspicuous broad black carpal bars.
Their white frons and chin, combined with black patches around
the eyes, create a high-contrast facial mask.
Fresh plumage
tends to be paler than when it is worn.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Mottled
Petrel at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Mottled Petrel is available
HERE
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Mottled Petrels are a long-distance migratory pelagic species
of the Pacific Ocean and the southern Indian Ocean.
Their breeding grounds are in the southern hemisphere, on
islands
around New Zealand.
Outside the breeding season they migrate northward, spending
much of their time in the northern Pacific Ocean, in the
Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska and around the Aleutian
islands.
In Australia, Mottled Petrels are usually found off the south-eastern
coastline. They spend most of their time on the high seas, avoiding
the proximity of land and not entering the Bass Strait. They are
found closer to the coast, and along Bass Strait, only occasionally.
Mottled Petrels usually live out on the open seas. Only during their
breeding season they approach land, to nest on
offshore islands
(around New Zealand).
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
We have not seen Mottled Petrels in Australian waters yet.
P. Brown spotted Mottled Petrels off a cruise ship on the
western Pacific Ocean between Bora Bora and Hawaii in April
2019.
All photographic information presented
on this page has kindly been contributed by P. Brown.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of a Mottled Petrel in low flight, with a clear
view of the characteristic underwing pattern with its broad
black carpal bar
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Lateral view of a Mottled Petrel in low flight, with a clear
view of the characteristic underwing pattern with its broad
black carpal bar
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Lateral view onto the upperparts of a Mottled Petrel in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Near-dorsal view onto the upperparts of a Mottled Petrel in flight;
note also the white facial mask
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Near-dorsal view onto the upperparts of a Mottled Petrel in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Near-dorsal view of the upperparts of a Mottled Petrel in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Lateral comparison of a Mottled Petrel with a
Sooty Shearwater
in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
Near-dorsal view of the underparts of a Mottled Petrel in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[April 2019]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.