Head to head
Providence Petrel vs Westland Petrel
Providence Petrel
VS Westland Petrel
Both petrels are Vulnerable seabirds with breeding ranges restricted to a small number of sites, but their nesting habits and histories differ sharply.
| Providence Petrel | Westland Petrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pterodroma solandri | Procellaria westlandica |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
| Population trend | Stable | Decreasing |
| Breeding range | A handful of remote islands near Australia | A single forested area on New Zealand's South Island |
| Nesting habitat | Remote island ground burrows | Forested hill country under canopy |
| Notable history | Hunted to local extinction on Norfolk Island | Complete endemism to one breeding site |
| Main threat | Historical hunting | Longline fishing bycatch |
| Habitat | Ocean | Ocean, coastal |
Providence Petrel vs Westland Petrel: common questions
Which one nests under a forest canopy?
The Westland petrel does, one of the very few burrow-nesting seabirds to breed inland under a forest canopy, while the Providence petrel instead nests in more typical open island ground burrows.
Which one is more threatened by fishing operations?
The Westland petrel faces greater documented mortality from longline fishing bycatch, while the Providence petrel's main historical threat came from hunting rather than fisheries.
Which one breeds in a single location only?
The Westland petrel does, breeding only in one small area of forested hill country on New Zealand's South Island, while the Providence petrel breeds across a handful of separate remote islands.