EUROPEAN STORM-PETREL Hydrobates pelagicus

The previous stormies were in the family Oceanitidae, they are separated from the Hydrobatidae, of which this is the first, by Albatrosses. They are northern hemisphere breeders, European being particularly common in North-west Europe including the UK, the Canary Islands, and through to the Aegean/Adriatic. Birds in the eastern Mediterranean, race melitensis, are more sedentary and slight differences in voice, genetics and morphology mean they will probably be split. I have never got brilliant photos of "our" storm-petrel, if a split does happens I shall have to have another try! All the shots here were taken on film, on one of Peter Harrison's Chalice pelagics.


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