Head to head
White-bellied Storm-petrel vs Wilson's Storm-petrel
Both storm-petrels share the same distinctive water-pattering foraging technique, but their population sizes and breeding ranges differ enormously.
| White-bellied Storm-petrel | Wilson's Storm-petrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Fregetta grallaria | Oceanites oceanicus |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Stable |
| Population size | Scattered, more limited populations | Possibly the most numerous seabird on Earth |
| Breeding range | Scattered remote South Atlantic and South Pacific islands | Antarctica and numerous sub-Antarctic islands |
| Distinguishing feature | Sharply contrasting white belly | Tiny, sparrow-sized body |
| Main threat | Introduced cats and rats on breeding islands | No significant conservation concerns documented |
| Habitat | Ocean | Ocean, polar |
White-bellied Storm-petrel vs Wilson's Storm-petrel: common questions
Which storm-petrel is more numerous?
Wilson's storm-petrel is, considered by some estimates the most numerous seabird species on Earth with tens of millions of individuals, far outnumbering the more scattered white-bellied storm-petrel.
Which storm-petrel breeds on Antarctica itself?
Wilson's storm-petrel does, breeding on the Antarctic continent as well as numerous sub-Antarctic islands, unlike the white-bellied storm-petrel, which breeds on more scattered South Atlantic and South Pacific islands.
Which storm-petrel faces greater threats from introduced predators?
The white-bellied storm-petrel does, facing predation pressure from introduced cats and rats on some of its breeding islands, a threat not significantly documented for Wilson's storm-petrel.