Swinhoe's storm petrel

   ›      ›   Swinhoe's storm petrel - Oceanodroma monorhis.

Swinhoe's storm petrel (Oceanodroma monorhis) is a small seabird belonging to the family Hydrobatidae. Swinhoe's storm petrel ranges across Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. These birds breed in islands off the coast of China, Japan, Russia and Korea.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had categorized and evaluated these shearwater species and had listed them as 'Near Threatened'.

These petrels are small birds, measuring 18 to 20 in length and weighing 25 to 55 grams. They have a wingspan of about 50 cm. They are dark brown in color with a notched tail. They feed on small fish and shrimp. They are normally a pelagic birds and are rarely seen in the coastal waters. They breed on offshore islands. The female lays a single egg in the rock crevices and burrows.

Indian birds - Swinhoe's storm petrel - Oceanodroma monorhis
Indian birds - Swinhoe's storm petrel - Oceanodroma monorhis

Biological classification of Oceanodroma monorhis
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Procellariiformes
Family:Hydrobatidae
Subfamily:Hydrobatinae
Genus:Oceanodroma
Species:O. monorhis
Binomial name:Oceanodroma monorhis
Distribution:Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean,
Feeding habits:fish, squids and shrimp;
IUCN status listing:
Near Threatened

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Image source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:OceanodromaMonorhisSmit.jpg
Author: Joseph Smit | License: Public domain
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