Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Fork-tailed Storm Petrel
Hydrobates furcatus
Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Hydrobates furcatus) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Hydrobates furcatus) is a member of the Hydrobatidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 59.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Hydrobatidae Northern Storm Petrels
- Genus Hydrobates
- Species furcatus
Where it lives
Islands off northern Kuril and Commander Is. (southeastern Russia), Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska to northern California
Quick facts
- Weight
- 59.7 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Hydrobatidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Extinct
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Hydrobates furcatus) is a member of the Hydrobatidae family, within the order Procellariiformes. It occurs naturally across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO islands off n Kuril and Commander Is. (se Russia), Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska to n California.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 59.7 g, with a wing length of about 15.6 cm and a tail of around 9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 19.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel?
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 59.7 g.
Where does the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel live?
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO islands off n Kuril and Commander Is. (se Russia), Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska to n California, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel belong to?
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Hydrobates furcatus) belongs to the Hydrobatidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel eat?
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel migrate?
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel make?
1 real field recording of the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel's range?
The Fork-tailed Storm Petrel has a mapped global range of about 19.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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