Gray-backed Storm-Petrel
Garrodia nereis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderProcellariiformes (Tubenoses)
- FamilyHydrobatidae (Northern Storm-Petrels)
- GenusGarrodia
- SpeciesGarrodia nereis (Gray-backed Storm-Petrel)
About the Gray-backed Storm-Petrel
The grey-backed storm petrel (Garrodia nereis) is a species of seabird in the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is monotypic within the genus Garrodia. It is found in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Falkland Islands, French Southern Territories, New Zealand, Saint Helena, South Africa, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is highly attracted to bright lights, especially in conditions of low visibility.
The genus Garrodia was created by William Alexander Forbes in 1881 and named after English zoologist Alfred Henry Garrod, while the specific descriptor is an allusion to the Nereids, the sea nymphs of Greek mythology. Grey-backed storm petrel is a small bird, 21-44 g in weight with a 39–40 cm wingspan. Like others in its family it is dark grey overall with a black head and belly, but it can be distinguished from other storm-petrels in its range by its light grey rump compared to the white rump on others. The Grey-backed petrel has a pale back, black legs, a square tail and a white belly.
The grey-backed storm petrel has a distribution in the subantarctic in three disjunct... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Gray-backed Storm-Petrel in Rakiura National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Rakiura National Park
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Pelagodroma marina
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Thalassarche cauta
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Puffinus griseus
Buller's Mollymawk
Thalassarche bulleri
Common Diving-Petrel
Pelecanoides urinatrix
Salvin's Albatross
Thalassarche salvini
Antarctic Petrel
Thalassoica antarctica
Cape Petrel
Daption capense
Northern Giant Petrel
Macronectes halli
Mottled Petrel
Pterodroma inexpectata
Cook's Petrel
Pterodroma cookii
Royal Albatross
Diomedea epomophora
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gray-backed Storm-Petrel in Rakiura National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-backed Storm-Petrel sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gray-backed Storm-Petrel in Rakiura National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Gray-backed Storm-Petrel in Rakiura National Park in our monthly data.