White-bellied Storm-Petrel - profile

Indicative distribution

Loading map...

Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Fregetta grallaria

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Vulnerable

Profile last updated: 08 Mar 2018

Description

A small, compact storm-petrel with a square cut tail, white forehead, face and underparts and a broad dark mark through the eye. Upperparts are dark grey. Various colour phases have been observed, including a dark phase, having sooty plumage, with only the rump and belly showing white.

Distribution

A wide oceanic distribution in the south Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, ranging into tropical waters from various breeding grounds. Known to breed at various island groups including Lord Howe Island.

Habitat and ecology

Marine
In Australia breeds only on offshore islands in the Lord Howe Island group.
Nest consists of a chamber usually located amongst large rocks.
Vagrant birds occur in coastal NSW waters, particularly after storm events.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Possible introduction of the Black Rat to offshore islands.
Risk of local extinction due to small population size.
Insufficient understanding of distribution.
Insufficient understanding of species ecology.
Lack of breeding habitat for the species leading to competition for nesting sites.
Lack of understanding of threats impacting the species at-sea, such as fisheries interactions and wind turbine strike.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Control and eradicate introduced rodents on Lord Howe Island.
Establish rodent baiting stations on key offshore islands to prevent establishment of rodents.
Monitor status of population.

Information sources

Hutton, I. (1991) Birds of Lord Howe Island Past and Present.
NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2007) Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan
Schodde, R. and Mason, I.J. (1999) The Directory of Australian Birds. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Ocean	Batemans Shelf	Predicted	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Predicted	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Predicted	None
Ocean	South Pacific Ocean	Known	None
Ocean	Tweed-Moreton	Predicted	None
Ocean	Twofold Shelf	Predicted	None
Pacific Subtropical Islands	Lord Howe Island	Known	None

Images

White-bellied Storm-petrel
Enlarge image

Nature conservation

Threatened species