Albatrosses, Petrels, and Shearwaters [Procellariiformes]
Description
Procellariiformes includes the albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, and storm-petrels. These birds are highly adapted to the marine environment, spending the majority of their life at sea, only coming to land to breed. Characterized by their tube-shaped nostrils, which are used for excreting salt and their long, narrow wings, they are capable of gliding over the ocean for hours or even days with minimal effort. These birds are found across all oceans, from the Arctic and Antarctic to the tropics, feeding on fish, squid, and crustaceans plucked from the surface or pursued underwater.