Antarctic Petrel [Thalassoica antarctica]
Description
The Antarctic Petrel is a medium-sized, dark brown and white petrel that is found in Antarctica. It has a white forehead and throat, with a dark crown, collar and eye stripe. The underparts are white, while the upperparts are dark brown. Its wings are dark brown with a white leading edge. The Antarctic Petrel inhabits the colder waters of the Southern Ocean. It is a pelagic bird, spending most of its life at sea, only coming to land to breed. It feeds mostly on krill, but will also eat fish and squid. The species is monogamous and both parents share in the responsibility of incubating the egg and raising the chick.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Birds
Aves
|
| Order |
Albatrosses, Petrels, and Shearwaters
Procellariiformes
|
| Family |
Shearwaters and Petrels
Procellariidae
|
| Genus |
Antarctic Petrels
Thalassoica
|