Black Noddy

Anous minutus

The Black, or White-capped Noddy is a seabird that is found in tropical areas all around the globe. These members of the Tern family are named for the nodding motion that both sexes display during courtship!

The two possible common names both describe this bird pretty well. On one hand, they are almost completely black in coloration. On the other, that black is broken up only by a white cap of feathers on the head. No matter which name you chose, it would still identify Anous minutus.

Black Noddies live pretty close to shore. They hunt for fish and squid during the daytime but return to various coasts and islands at night in order to roost in large colonies. When it comes to breeding, pairs will choose each other thanks to flight displays and the aforementioned nodding dances, and will often form lifelong bonds. Only one egg is laid with each clutch, and depending on the location these birds will produce between 1 and 3 clutches each year. Many pairs will actually reuse the same nest over and over again each season.

The Black Noddy is listed as being of Least Concern, and their worldwide population estimate is between 1 and 1.5 million birds.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Tropics Worldwide
Size : Length around 15in (39cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Sternidae -- Genus : Anous -- Species : A. minutus

Image : Sirrob01

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Wilson's Storm Petrel

Oceanites oceanicus

We finally arrive at our last animal of this Antarctic theme-- a bird that is not confined just to the southernmost continent. Wilson's Storm Petrel is a common bird that is one of the most abundant species in the entire world with a population of over 100 million!

These particular birds breed on Antarctica's coasts during the summertime, and during the rest of the year they travel the seas of the Southern Hemisphere. They can fly thousands of miles in a single year, but they are often difficult to spot because they spend nearly all of that time over open ocean.

Wilson's Storm Petrels are small birds. They only measure about 6-7in in length. In fact, they are the smallest warm-blooded creatures to nest in Antarctica! They are so small that they live a mostly nocturnal lifestyle while nesting. This strategy keeps them safe from the larger birds that will either feed on them or try and steal the food that they capture. Krill, small fish, and various aquatic invertebrates make up the Petrels' diet.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Southern Hemisphere
Size : Length up to 7in (18cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Procellariiformes
Family : Hydrobatidae -- Genus : Oceanites-- Species : O. oceanicus
Image :  Patrick Coin

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Snowy Sheathbill

Chionis albus

Meet the Snowy Sheathbill-- the only bird species in Antarctica that is primarily land dwelling and widespread. They are endemic to the continent and the nearby southern Islands, though very rare vagrants sometimes make it to South America and Africa.

Snowy Sheathbills are named for their cone-shaped bills that have a sheath made of a horn-like keratin covering their nostrils. They also have small, fleshy wattles, naked skin around the eyes, and bodies covered in white feathers.

These birds are scavengers, and will eat anything they can find. They live near the coasts, and seals are one of their favorite food sources-- they will pick as seal scabs and dried blood, eat placenta and umbilical chords, and will even eat seal feces. Yum.... The Sheathbills eat insects and seaweed as well.

Snowy Sheathbills have a large population and are widespread. They don't have any major conservation threats at present, and are listed as being of Least Concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Antarctica
Size : Length up to 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Chionididae -- Genus : Chionis -- Species : C. albus
Image :  David M. Jensen

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Rhinoceros Auklet

Cerorhinca monocerata

Meet the Rhinoceros Auklet, a seabird that is a close relative to the more well-known Puffins. Like Puffins, they live in cold arctic areas-- specifically the northern Pacific Ocean.

One curious feature of these birds is the horn on their beaks. Both males and females have it, but no one really knows what its purpose is! Decoration? Protection? Attracting a mate? Either way, it has given them their Rhinoceros name!

Another cool fact about these birds is that they can dive down quite far in search of food. Dives of 150-180 feet have been observed! They catch fish, krill, and squid, but always wait until nightfall to take food back to their nests. The reason for this is that other, larger seabirds will try and steal their prey. Flying home with food at night helps them keep more of their hard-earned food.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North Pacific
Size : Length up to 11in (27cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Alcidae -- Genus : Cerorhinca -- Species : C. monocerata
Image :  Tokumi

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Bulwer's Petrel

Bulweria bulwerii

For a Petrel, the Bulwer's Petrel is relatively small. Its entire body length does not normally get larger than 10in (compared to some of their cousins that can be more than double or triple that!).

Just like those cousins, the Bulwer's Petrel is a seabird that spends huge portions of its time living flying across the open sea. They have large wingspans compared to their body length (up to 3ft!) that allow them to soar long distances without using large amounts of energy. They feed on very small creatures that live at the ocean's surface, snatching them while in flight.

The Bulwer's Petrels do come ashore in order to breed, and their nesting sites are typically in the small islands chains of the Atlantic Ocean, though some populations make it to the Pacific as well. They breed in large colonies before dispersing again to fly across the oceans.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Atlantic Islands
Size : Length up to 10ft (25cm), Wingspan up to 3ft (.9m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Procellariiformes
Family : Procellariidae -- Genus : Bulweria-- Species : B. bulwerii
Image : Peiwen Chang

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Parasitic Jaeger

The Parasitic Jaeger, sometimes refereed to as the Arctic or Parasitic Skua, is a seabird that spends half its time in Northern Europe and Asia, as well as in the high latitudes of North America. They breed during the summertime, and during the winter they migrate south to more tropical regions.

Parasitic Jaegers are named for one of their most common feeding behaviors-- they harass other seabirds and steal their food. The Jaegers will hunt their own kills as well, but theft is frequent and widespread.

It can be tough to identify these birds in the wild because they come in three different color morphs (dark, light, and intermediate) and because they look very similar to other seabird species that share their range. In general they are either dark colored above, with pale underparts, or are completely dark feathered all over.

Parasitic Jaegers have a very large population size (well over 1,000,000 birds) and a massive range. hey are not currently in any major conservation danger.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Eurasia, North America
Size : Body length around 18in (45cm), Wingspan up to 50in (1.3m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Stercorariidae -- Genus : Stercorarius -- Species : S. parasiticus
Image :  Fish and Wildlife Service

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Australasian Gannet

Morus serrator

Meet the Autralasian Gannet, a large white, black, and yellow seabird that lives around Australia, New Zealand, and a handful of other nearby islands. They breed in massive coastal colonies, with the largest groups forming in New Zealand. Groups of more than 10,000 pairs can be found at three different locations!

Australasian Gannets form pair bonds that can last for several breeding seasons, and sometimes they last for life. These birds perform elaborate displays to attract mates, including dancing, head bobby, and presenting seaweed to one another. Once a mate is found, the birds with continue to perform, often through bill tapping, in order to greet their mate and strengthen pair bonds.

Females guard the nesting site while the males go out for building materials. Seaweed is a major component. Only one egg will be laid at a time, and both parents help to incubate it for 6 weeks until the helpless chick is hatched. Gannets are pretty long-lived for a seabird. They can reach just shy of 40 years, and won't breed for the first time until they are 5-7.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia, New Zealand
Size : Length up to 6in (15cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Suliformes
Family : Sulidae -- Genus : Morus -- Species : M. serrator

Image : Merops

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