Geographic Range
Magellanic diving petrels are found in the coastal and nearshore areas of southern
Chile, Tierra del Fuego, and southern Argentina. They are found in fjords and coastal
waters up to 125 km from shore.
- Biogeographic Regions
- neotropical
- atlantic ocean
- pacific ocean
Habitat
Magellanic diving petrels are mainly found foraging in nearshore, coastal waters.
They breed on small, nearshore islands in coastal channels and fjords. Breeding islands
generally have soft soil and some vegetation. Magellanic diving petrels dig nesting
burrows in this soil and overhanging vegetation may help to mask the burrow entrance.
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- Aquatic Biomes
- coastal
Physical Description
Magellanic diving petrels are about 19 cm long and recorded weights are from 145 to
174 g (although this is based on a small sample size). They are similar in appearance
to other
diving petrels
, with black plumage dorsally and white plumage on the ventral surfaces. They have
grey mottling on their flank and sides of their breasts. Soon after a molt, feathers
on their back, rumps, and wings have white tips to them. They have a white line that
runs from just above each eye, laterally down the neck to join with the white of the
breast and flanks. Their bill is black and the feet and legs are blue, with black
webbing. They are distinguished from other
diving petrels
by the white markings that run from their eyes along the neck and by dimensions of
the bill. Wings are from 120 to 133 mm long, bill lengths are from 15 to 17 mm, and
tails are from 34 to 44 mm. There are no described subspecies and sexual dimorphism
is not reported. Like other
diving petrels
, they are able to store and transport prey items in a gular pouch, formed by a distensible
portion of skin in the throat. This characteristic is hinted at by their generic name
Pelecanoides
, referring to its similarity to the gular sac of pelicans (
Pelecanidae
).
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- homoiothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes alike
Reproduction
There is no information on mating in Magellanic diving petrels. Like their relatives,
they are thought to be monogamous, with pairs occupying nesting burrows in small territories
at breeding colonies.
- Mating System
- monogamous
There is very little information on breeding in Magellanic diving petrels. They seem
to nest in burrows among vegetation on coastal, channel islands throughout their range.
Eggs are laid from November to December and fledglings have been observed in March.
Adults have a post-nuptial molt from April to June. Females lay a single egg. Other
aspects of their reproduction are probably similar to
common diving petrels
.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- oviparous
Males and females both incubate, brood, feed, and protect their single young until
they become independent.
- Parental Investment
- altricial
-
pre-fertilization
- provisioning
-
protecting
- female
-
pre-hatching/birth
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- male
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-weaning/fledging
-
provisioning
- male
- female
-
protecting
- male
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-independence
-
provisioning
- male
- female
-
protecting
- male
- female
-
provisioning
Lifespan/Longevity
Magellanic diving petrel longevity has not been documented, although it is presumed
to be similar to that of
common diving petrels
.
Behavior
Like other
diving petrels
, these birds fly with characteristic fast wing beats close to the water. They seem
to molt all of their flight feathers at once, leaving them flightless for several
weeks. However, the loss of their primary feathers doesn't impact their ability to
dive and capture prey. Magellanic diving petrels are social at breeding colonies,
which may be dense, but are generally seen alone or in small groups outside of the
breeding season. They spend most of their time on the water when not at breeding colonies.
They visit breeding colonies at night, resting in their nesting burrows, and seem
to forage mainly during the day, although they will forage at night as well. Magellanic
diving petrels are thought to be sedentary. They have been found up to 128 km from
land, but are thought to generally occur in coastal waters near their breeding colonies.
Home Range
Home range sizes are not reported.
Communication and Perception
There is no information on communication in Magellanic diving petrels. They are likely
to be similar to their close relatives, common diving petrels (
Pelecanoides urinatrix
), which are silent, generally, at sea but very vocal at breeding colonies at night.
- Communication Channels
- acoustic
Food Habits
Magellanic diving petrels capture aquatic invertebrates, especially crustaceans, and
small fish by diving, either from flight or from a surface dive. Like their
diving petrel cousins
, they are likely to be strong in underwater pursuit, propelling themselves underwater
with their wings and steering with their tails. They seem to feed mainly in coastal,
nearshore waters.
- Animal Foods
- fish
- aquatic crustaceans
Predation
Like other
diving petrels
, they seem to dive in response to threats rather than fly. They seem to escape much
predation by gulls and skuas by visiting their nesting colonies mainly at night, landing
briefly outside of their burrows and making a quick retreat to the safety of the burrow
upon arrival. If they are forced to walk any distance on land to their burrow, there
is a high probability that they will fall prey to larger birds.
- Anti-predator Adaptations
- cryptic
Ecosystem Roles
Magellanic diving petrels are important predators of marine invertebrates and small
fish in the coastal channels and fjords they inhabit.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Magellanic diving petrels are important members of nearshore marine environments throughout their range and may attract ecotourism interest.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no adverse effects of Magellanic diving petrels on humans.
Conservation Status
Magellanic diving petrels have a large distribution and are considered common throughout
their range. They are listed as "least concern" by the IUCN.
Other Comments
Pelecanoides magellani
were once considered conspecific with
Pelecanoides urinatrix
.
Diving petrels
are strikingly similar physically and ecologically to the northern hemisphere puffins,
murres, and auklets (
Alcidae
), especially little auks (
Alle alle
).
Additional Links
Contributors
Tanya Dewey (author), Animal Diversity Web.
- Neotropical
-
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- Atlantic Ocean
-
the body of water between Africa, Europe, the southern ocean (above 60 degrees south latitude), and the western hemisphere. It is the second largest ocean in the world after the Pacific Ocean.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- Pacific Ocean
-
body of water between the southern ocean (above 60 degrees south latitude), Australia, Asia, and the western hemisphere. This is the world's largest ocean, covering about 28% of the world's surface.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- coastal
-
the nearshore aquatic habitats near a coast, or shoreline.
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- monogamous
-
Having one mate at a time.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- altricial
-
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
- diurnal
-
- active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- social
-
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- cryptic
-
having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect.
- carnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats meat
- piscivore
-
an animal that mainly eats fish
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
References
Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses and petrels across the world . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, J. Sargatal. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume I . Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.