Antarctic prion
Introduction: Antarctic petrel (Pachyptila desolata) were named after Desolation Island, the name Captain Cook gave Kerguelen Island. Observed mainly in large aggregations in oceanic and continental shelf-waters, their numbers can be attributed to concentrations of zooplankton that are formed at the onset of frontal systems.
Distribution: Occurs throughout Namibian waters as far north as the Walvis Bay and Swakopmund region.
Diet: Forage by surface-seizing in the day, eating mainly small planktonic crustaceans, small fish, trawler offal and squid.
Description: Small blue grey petrel with a 'M' marking across the upper wing. White underparts, short wings. Pachyptila is Greek for 'thick-feathered'. Often confused with broad-billed and Salvin's prions, which are both slightly larger.
Breeding: Breeding colonies arrive in southern African waters from October, leaving around March to early April. Extralimital.
Size: 25cm.
Weight: 145g.
Wingspan: 60cm.
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