Trindade petrel

Pterodroma arminjoniana

Photo by Steve Howell (Seabirding Pelagic Trips)

Common name:
Trindade petrel (en); grazina-de-Trindade (pt); pétrel de Trindade (fr); petrel de la Trindade (es); Südtrinidad-sturmvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae


Range:
This species is only found breeding on the islands of Trindade and Martim Vaz, off the coast of Brazil, but they cover wide areas of the southern Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans while searching for food.


Size:
These birds are 35-39 cm long and have a wingspan of 88-102 cm. They weigh around 320 g.


Habitat:
Trindade petrels breed in rocky islands and forage out in the open sea.


Diet:
They mostly eat small fishes and cephalopods.


Breeding:
The Trindade petrel can breed all year round, but with a peak in October-April. They form dense colonies, nesting in crevices and other cliff-cavities, in the highest parts of the islands. The female lays a single eggs, which is incubated by both parents for 49-54 days. The chick is fed by both parents and fledges 9-11 weeks after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a very small breeding range and the global population is estimated at 1.130-15.000 individuals. The population is believed to be stable as there are no major threats, but the small breeding range and population size makes the Trindade petrel susceptible to stochastic events and future human impacts that could arise from naval activities and the spread of wind turbines.