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Slender-billed Prion
(Pachyptila belcheri)
: "Narrow-billed Prion", "Thin-billed Prion"
Size: 25-26 cm; wing span ca. 56 cm
Weight: 120-170 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Slender-billed Prions are large prions.
Their upperparts, including the cap, are bluish-grey, with an
indistinct grey "M" pattern spanning from one wing tip to the
other. In Slender-billed Prions this "M" is blotchy and faint.
Another distinguishing feature is the conspicuous facial
pattern, with a well-defined eye stripe joining a distinct
half collar.
Slender-billed Prions have a narrow black terminal
tail band. The underside (front) is almost all white.
The underwings are off-white to light-grey, with a very
faint and thin black outer
leading edge. The undertail has a black terminal band and
a dark-grey subterminal patch.
As their name suggests, Slender-billed Prions have the narrowest
bill of all prions.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
Slender-billed Prion 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 Slender-billed Prion is available
HERE
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Slender-billed Prions populate the southern oceans around the globe,
up to about the tropic of Capricorn. Only along the West coast of
South America they are found up to the equator.
Antarctic Prions reach the coastline of Australia mostly in an area
spanning from Perth, WA, in the West, to the NSW/VIC border, including
Tasmania. Occasionally they can be seen up to southern QLD off the
East coast and up to Exmouth, WA, in the West.
They are usually not found close to the coastline or along Bass
Strait, but near the edge of the continental shelf.
Slender-billed Prions are pelagic birds that spend most of
their time out on the open ocean and in coastal waters. They breed on small
offshore islands.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
M. Roderick reports spotting Slender-billed Prions off
Port Stephens, NSW, in August 2016.
All photographic and sighting information presented
on this page has kindly been contributed by M. Roderick.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of a Slender-billed Prion, showing its upperwing pattern
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Port Stephens, NSW, August 2016]
Lateral view of a Slender-billed Prion, bottom, in direct comparison
with a Fairy Prion, top;
note the much paler "M" on the Slender-billed Prion, as well as the far
reduced amount of black in the tail; also note its smaller bill and
bolder/broader supercilium
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Port Stephens, NSW, August 2016]
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.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
