Magellanic Diving-Petrel

About the Magellanic Diving-Petrel

The Magellanic diving petrel (Pelecanoides magellani) is a species of diving petrel, one of five very similar, small, auk-like petrels found exclusively in the southern oceans. It is one of the smaller species of diving petrels, though size differences are seemingly indistinguishable between species unless seen up close. It is probably the least known of all five species.

The Magellanic diving petrel was formally described in 1912 by the Australian born ornithologist Gregory Mathews as a subspecies of the Peruvian diving petrel with the trinomial name Pelecanoides garnotii magellani. It is now considered as a separate species with the binomial name Pelecanoides magellani. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek pelekan meaning "pelican" and "-oidēs" meaning "resembling". The specific epithet magellani refers to the Straits of Magellan. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

According to HBW, this species is more closely related to the South Georgian and Peruvian diving petrels. The diving petrels bear strong resemblances to the smaller auk species (i.e. the Dovekie or Little Auk), though they are not closely related. This likeness is a prime example... Wikipedia →