Petrel

Presentation

The petrel is a seabird belonging to the order Procellariiformes, which includes numerous species distributed across nearly all the world's oceans. It is characterized by controlled gliding flight skimming just above the waves and by external nasal tubes used to excrete excess salt. This bird spends most of its life at sea and returns to land only to breed, often on isolated islands. In the Mediterranean, the storm petrel and the Cory's shearwater (related species) frequent Tunisian coasts, particularly the Zembra and Galite islands. Its inconspicuous appearance and nocturnal habits at nesting sites make it a bird that is seldom seen despite its wide distribution.

The petrel has a compact body, long narrow wings suited to gliding flight, and a hooked beak equipped with nasal tubes characteristic of Procellariiformes. Its plumage ranges from grey-brown to black depending on the species, often with lighter underparts. It typically measures between 15 and 35 cm in length depending on the species.

Characteristics

Indicative values: they vary by subspecies, sex and region.

Habitat and distribution

Petrels live primarily at sea and along coastal waters, coming to land only to breed on remote islands or cliff faces. They generally avoid heavily populated coastal areas.

Behaviour

The petrel is a gregarious bird at sea, sometimes forming large gatherings around food-rich areas. It is capable of traveling very long distances on gliding flight by exploiting marine air currents. At breeding sites, it often adopts nocturnal habits to reduce predation risk.

Reproduction

Petrels breed in colonies, typically nesting in burrows or rocky crevices on isolated islands or coastal cliffs. The female lays a single egg per season, incubated in turn by both parents over several weeks. The chick remains in the nest for several months before fledging, fed by regurgitation from the parents.

Peculiarities

The petrel owes its name to its distinctive manner of appearing to 'walk on water' by pattering across the surface while feeding, evoking the biblical account of Saint Peter. Its highly developed sense of smell allows it to locate food and its nest in darkness. Tubular nasal glands enable it to excrete excess salt absorbed from seawater.

Threats and conservation

Petrels are threatened by predation from mammals introduced to their breeding islands, such as rats and cats. Marine pollution, particularly ingested plastic, and accidental capture by fishing longlines also impact populations. Degradation of coastal habitats further reduces available breeding sites.

References

Profile updated 23 August 2026 · Reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Least concern (LC)

IUCN source, latest published assessment.

Documented diseases for this species.

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