Soft-plumaged Petrel
Pterodroma mollis
Silhouette: Kimberly Haddrell · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderProcellariiformes (Tubenoses)
- FamilyProcellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels)
- GenusPterodroma (Gadfly Petrels)
- SpeciesPterodroma mollis (Soft-plumaged Petrel)
About the Soft-plumaged Petrel
The soft-plumaged petrel (Pterodroma mollis) is a species of seabird in the family Procellariidae. It breeds on islands in the Southern Hemisphere, nesting on Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Islands, Macquarie Island, and on the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand. Small numbers breed in the Maatsuyker Island Group of southern Tasmania. It disperses outside the breeding season, reaching eastern South America north to Brazil, southern Africa and Australia. It has occurred as a vagrant in Norway and Jordan.
Fea's petrel (P. feae), Desertas petrel (P. desertae) and Zino's petrel (P. madeira) of the North Atlantic were formerly treated as subspecies of this bird. The soft-plumaged petrel is a medium-sized petrel. Its plumage is dark grey and white, and its wings are narrow and with a pointed tail distinct in flight. It has a dark grey head with prominent white feathers on the cheeks and throat. There is a white speckling on forehead along with a prominent dark eye patch. Its underside is mostly white, which turned dark grey at underwings. The bill is black and about 25–32 mm long and has a sharp hook. Its... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Soft-plumaged Petrel in Table Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park
Great-winged Petrel
Pterodroma macroptera
White-chinned Petrel
Procellaria aequinoctialis
Sooty Shearwater
Puffinus griseus
Northern Giant Petrel
Macronectes halli
Southern Giant Petrel
Macronectes giganteus
Great Shearwater
Puffinus gravis
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
Antarctic Prion
Pachyptila desolata
Scopoli's Shearwater
Calonectris diomedea
Southern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialoides
Cape Petrel
Daption capense
Blue Petrel
Halobaena caerulea
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Soft-plumaged Petrel in Table Mountain National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Soft-plumaged Petrel sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Soft-plumaged Petrel in Table Mountain National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Soft-plumaged Petrel in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.