Story: Petrels
The photo shows how storm petrels patter across the surface of the water when searching for food. As they do this, they are lifted by their outspread wings, catching the wind like a wave-jumping windsurfer. This enables them to feed from the surface without having to land and take off. This delicate petrel resembles the New Zealand storm petrel, which was thought, for more than 100 years, to be extinct. In January 2003 it was sighted at sea, and a few others have been seen since. In November 2005 one flew inside the cabin of a fishing boat, allowing feather samples to be taken to establish its identity.
About this item
Eco-vista: Photography & Research
Reference: Image 011405_040118
Photograph by Brent Stephenson
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.