Birds
Broad-billed Prion
Pachyptila vittata · also called broad-billed prions
Straining plankton from the sea surface with a bill broader and more densely combed than any other prion species, a broad-billed prion feeds almost like a miniature baleen whale, despite being one of the smaller seabirds crossing the Southern Ocean.
Overview
The broad-billed prion, Pachyptila vittata, is a Least Concern seabird native to ocean and coastal habitat across temperate and subantarctic waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Its status as the largest prion species, its unusually wide comb-lined bill, and its whale-like filter-feeding technique make it one of the more physically distinctive small seabirds found anywhere in the Southern Ocean.
A bill built for straining, not snapping
Where most seabirds rely on speed or precision to catch individual prey, the broad-billed prion has instead evolved a bill shaped almost like a sieve, letting it process enormous volumes of seawater in search of prey too small and too numerous for conventional hunting to catch efficiently.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across predator-free breeding islands in both the South Pacific and South Atlantic.
Broad-billed Prion: common questions
How is the broad-billed prion different from other prions?
This species has a notably broader bill than other prion species, densely lined with fine comb-like structures used to strain plankton from seawater, and is also the largest of all the prion species.
How does the broad-billed prion catch its food?
This species filters vast numbers of tiny planktonic crustaceans directly from the sea surface using its unusually wide, comb-lined bill, a feeding method functionally similar to a filter-feeding baleen whale.
Where does the broad-billed prion breed?
This species breeds in burrows on predator-free islands off New Zealand and on remote South Atlantic islands including Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island.
Why does the broad-billed prion only visit its burrow at night?
This species visits its nesting burrows almost exclusively after dark, a habit that reduces the risk of attack from predatory skuas and gulls that patrol its breeding colonies during daylight hours.