Magellanic diving petrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Magellanic diving petrel |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pelecanoides
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| Species: |
magellani
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The Magellanic diving-petrel (Pelecanoides magellani) is a small seabird. It belongs to a group of five very similar birds called diving petrels. These birds are found only in the southern parts of the world's oceans. The Magellanic diving-petrel is one of the smaller diving-petrel species. It can be hard to tell them apart from other diving-petrels unless you see them very closely. This bird is probably the least known of all the diving-petrel species.
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About the Magellanic Diving-Petrel
The group name for diving-petrels is Pelecanoides. This name means "pelican-resembling." It refers to their special throat pouches, which are like a pelican's. They use these pouches to hold the food they catch.
The specific name, magellani, honors Ferdinand Magellan. He was a famous explorer who discovered the Strait of Magellan. These birds live in that area. This species does not have any subspecies. This means it is a monotypic species, having only one type within it.
Diving-petrels look a lot like small auk birds, such as the Little auk. However, they are not related at all! This is a great example of convergent evolution. This happens when different animals evolve similar traits because they live in similar environments and have similar roles.
What Does It Look Like?
This small, sturdy petrel is about 19 to 22 cm (7.4 to 8.7 inches) long. It weighs between 5 and 6 ounces. Male birds are usually a bit heavier than females.
The head of the Magellanic diving-petrel is black. It has a bright white border that forms a clear white crescent shape. This crescent extends up towards the back of its neck. The rest of its body is black on top and white underneath, much like a penguin. It also has some white stripes on the sides of its neck and on its shoulder feathers. You might see some grayish-black spots on its sides and sometimes on its chest.
Its upper wings are mostly black. The edges of the secondary feathers are white. The feathers under its wings are white, with some black spots near the "arm" area. The underside of its flight feathers are light gray. Its tail feathers are mostly black on top, but they can look brown in certain light. They have tiny white tips. The underside of the tail feathers are mainly white or very light gray.
The bird's bill is mostly black. Its unique, upward-facing nostrils are also black. Its legs and feet are a light slate-blue or light blue with blackish-brown webs. Its claws are black, and its eyes are a very dark brown.
The Magellanic diving-petrel sometimes lives in the same areas as the Peruvian diving petrel. But you can tell them apart! The Magellanic has a clear white crescent on its head, while the Peruvian has an almost all-black head.
Behavior and Life Habits
How They Find Food
The Magellanic diving-petrel is quite shy, so we don't know a lot about its daily life. Like all diving-petrels, it is a very strong swimmer. It can dive more than 10 feet deep to catch its food. It can stay underwater for 10 seconds, or even over a minute!
These birds usually dive from the surface of the water. But they can also drop a few feet from the air into the ocean. They use their wings to push themselves through the water. Their tails and feet help them steer.
The Magellanic diving-petrel eats small crustaceans. It also eats other small aquatic invertebrates like copepods, amphipods, and plankton. They might also eat small fish. They probably carry food back to their chicks in their throat pouches. Then they bring the food up for their young to eat.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
We don't know much about the breeding habits of the Magellanic diving-petrel. We do know that they lay their eggs from November to December. Young birds, called fledglings, have been seen in March.
Like other birds in its group, the Magellanic diving-petrel nests in burrows. They dig these burrows in large groups, called colonies, on coastal islands. They lay one egg. They are most likely monogamous, meaning they stay with one partner, like other petrels.
Both parents take turns sitting on the egg during the incubation period. They also take turns going out to sea to find food. Both parents feed their chick. The chick will become old enough to breed when it is about 2 to 3 years old.
After raising their young, the adult birds go through a process called post-nuptial moult. This is when they shed their old feathers and grow new, fresh ones. Their flight feathers are especially important. During this time, all diving-petrels cannot fly until their new feathers have fully grown in.
Where They Live
The Magellanic diving-petrel breeds on grassy slopes on islands near the coast. They usually live in fjords and channels. You can find them in southern Chile, Argentina, and Tierra del Fuego. They search for food in the waters both near and far from the coast in these areas.
Protecting the Species
The Magellanic diving-petrel is listed as a Least Concern species by the IUCN Red List. This means they are not currently in immediate danger. Their population is estimated to be between 6,700 and 330,000 birds.
They are not facing big threats right now. However, they might be affected by invasive species like rats or mice. Human activities, such as collecting guano (bird droppings used as fertilizer), could also be a threat. Since not much is known about this species, more research is needed to understand their population and any new dangers they might face.
See also
In Spanish: Potoyunco magallánico para niños
