Snow Petrel [Pagodroma nivea]
Description
The Snow Petrel is a small, pure white fulmarine petrel with black eyes, small black bill and bluish gray feet. They measure between 35-40cm in length with a wingspan of 75-95cm. Snow Petrels are found in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Antarctica. They are the only bird species that breed exclusively in Antarctica. They are pelagic birds that feed at sea on cephalopods, fish, and krill. They have an oily substance in their stomachs that they can spit out in defense when threatened.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Birds
Aves
|
| Order |
Albatrosses, Petrels, and Shearwaters
Procellariiformes
|
| Family |
Shearwaters and Petrels
Procellariidae
|
| Genus |
Snow Petrels
Pagodroma
|