: The Swift and Graceful Seabird
The Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, also known as the Ocean Swallow, is a small seabird belonging to the Procellariidae family. With its unique forked tail and graceful hovering motions, this bird is a truly remarkable creature that can be found in various parts of the world.
Basic Description:
This bird is about 20-25 cm long with a wingspan of around 50 cm. Its body feathers are blackish-brown while its underparts are whitish-grey. It has short legs and webbed feet which help it swim underwater. The most distinctive feature of this bird is its deeply forked tail which gives it incredible aerial agility.
Where To Find This Bird:
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels breed on islands all around the southern hemisphere including South America, New Zealand and Tasmania during spring and summer months. During non-breeding seasons they migrate to colder waters near Antarctica or even venture into northern temperate regions such as North Atlantic.
Habitat:
These birds spend most of their lives at sea, only returning to land for breeding purposes. They prefer open oceanic habitats that have plenty of upwelling currents where they can feed on planktonic crustaceans like krill or small fish species like anchovies and sardines.
Food:
As mentioned earlier these birds primarily feed on small fish species like anchovies and sardines but also consume squid, crustaceans such as krill among other things.They make use of an extraordinary technique called “surface dipping” where they touch down briefly onto the surface tension layer between water molecules enabling them catch prey without fully submerging themselves in water.
Cool Facts:
1) These seabirds have been measured flying up to speeds exceeding 100 km/hour.
2) They’re capable of storing food within their stomachs allowing them sustain energy reserves during particularly lean periods.
3) Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels actually have a gland on their beaks that filter out excess salt from seawater, which is then excreted through specialized tubules located above the eyes.
In conclusion, the Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel is an incredible bird with remarkable strengths and unique features. Its aerial agility, ability to fly long distances while still being able to dive underwater and feed are all feats in themselves. These birds may not be easy to spot but they certainly are worth keeping an eye out for if you happen to be near any waters where they’re known to frequent.
