Indian Petrels

Indian Petrels

Swinhoe`s Storm Petrel, Jouanin`s Petrel and Barau’s Petrel are the three petrels which have been recorded in India.

The Indian Subcontinent provides suitable habitats to various species of birds for residing and nesting. Petrels are no exception in this regard. They belong to the kingdom, Animalia; phylum, Chordata; class, Aves; and order, Procellariiformes. These petrels are described below.

Swinhoe's Storm Petrel
The species name of Swinhoe's Storm Petrel is Oceanodroma Monorhis. This bird is a dark brown colored bird with a notched tail. It is important to note that this bird has been labeled as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The length of the bird ranges from 18 to 20 cm. Its weight ranges from 25 to 55 grams. This petrel has a wingspan of about 50 cm. It depends on small fish and shrimp for survival. These birds breed on offshore islands. The female lays a single egg in the rock crevices and burrows.

Jouanin's Petrel
Indian Petrels, Indian Birds

The species of Jouanin's Petrel is Bulweria Fallax. This is a small and dark sooty bird. It has wedge shaped tail. It is important to note that this bird has been labeled as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This bird has a length of about 30 cm. Its weight ranges from 150 to 180 grams. This bird depends on fish, squids and shrimps for survival. Its natural habitats are open seas and shallow seas.

Barau’s Petrel
The species name of Barau’s Petrel is Pterodroma Baraui. This bird has grayish brown color on the upper body. Its underparts are white in color. The forehead and back have black feathers. A fairly distinct ‘M’ shaped marking extends across the back and wings. The underside of the wing has dark edges. This Petrel has a length of about 40 cm and can therefore be called a medium sized bird. It has a weight of about 430 grams. This bird has a wingspan of about 100 cm. This bird depends on small fish, squid and shrimp for survival.

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