Blue petrel
| Blue petrel | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| In flight. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Procellariiformes |
| Family: | Procellariidae |
| Genus: |
Halobaena Bonaparte, 1856 |
| Species: | H. caerulea |
| Binomial name | |
|
Halobaena caerulea (Gmelin, 1789) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Procellaria caerulea |
|
Procellaria caerulea
Gmelin 1789
Halobaena caerulea victoriae
(Mathews 1916)
Halobaena murphyi
(Brooks, W. S. 1917)
The blue petrel (Halobaena caerulea) is a small seabird in the shearwater and petrel family Procellariidae. This small petrel is the only member of the genus Halobaena, but is closely allied to the prions.
The blue petrel is the only bird from the genus Halobaena, and a member of the Procellariiformes order. They share certain identifying features. First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called naricorns. The bills of Procellariiformes are unique in that they are split into between 7 and 9 horny plates. They produce a stomach oil made up of wax esters and triglycerides that is stored in the proventriculus. This is used against predators as well as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights. Finally, they also have a salt gland that is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their bodies, due to the high amount of ocean water that they imbibe. It excretes a high saline solution from their nose.
The word "petrel" is derived from Saint Peter and the story of his walking on water. This is in reference to the petrel's habit of appearing to run on the water to take off.
The blue petrel's plumage is white underneath and grey on its upper parts, with an "M" banding across its top, which is similar to the prion's. It also has a white-tipped tail. Its bill is smaller than prions.
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Wikipedia