Birds
White-headed Petrel
Pterodroma lessonii · also called white-headed gadfly petrel
Marked by an almost entirely white head and body set sharply against dark wings, a white-headed petrel ranges across multiple ocean basins between breeding seasons, one of the larger gadfly petrels found scattered across the Southern Ocean’s remote subantarctic islands.
Overview
The white-headed petrel, Pterodroma lessonii, is a Least Concern seabird native to ocean habitat across the Southern Ocean, ranging widely into the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Its distinctive pale plumage, comparatively large size among gadfly petrels, and widely scattered breeding range make it one of the more visually striking and geographically dispersed seabirds found across the Southern Hemisphere.
A pale giant among the gadfly petrels
Standing out from its generally darker, smaller relatives, the white-headed petrel combines an unusually large body with almost entirely white plumage, a combination that makes it one of the more instantly recognisable gadfly petrels wherever it is encountered at sea.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across its scattered subantarctic breeding islands and extensive pelagic foraging range.
White-headed Petrel: common questions
How can you identify a white-headed petrel?
This species has an almost entirely white head and underparts contrasting sharply with dark upperwings, along with a dark patch surrounding each eye, a distinctive combination among the gadfly petrels.
How big is the white-headed petrel compared with other gadfly petrels?
This species is one of the larger members of its genus, noticeably bigger than many related Pterodroma petrel species found across the same Southern Ocean waters.
Where does the white-headed petrel breed?
This species breeds in burrows dug into soil on remote subantarctic islands, including Kerguelen, Crozet, Marion, and the Auckland Islands, rather than a single concentrated site.
How far out to sea does the white-headed petrel range?
This species is highly pelagic, spending the vast majority of its life far out at sea and rarely approaching land except to breed, ranging widely across the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian Oceans.