The most important feature of Black-bellied Storm-petrel is that it doesn't
always have a black belly. Indeed the race melanoleuca, breeding on the Tristan group and Gough, has a white belly, but
other features are consistent with black-bellied. Most of this taxa show at least some black on the belly, or at least an extended
hood area, whereas others have a thick black stripe right down to the tail. The one truly diagnostic feature seems to be that
the feet project beyond the tail (never in white-bellied), but unfortunately the bird will sometimes hold them in a position
where they cannot be seen, as in the first photo, which was taken in Antarctic waters.
Click on the photo to return to "petrels" or here for
HOMEPAGE
