Cape petrel

Cape petrel. The Cape petrel, also known as the pintado petrel or Cape pigeon, is a distinctive seabird of the Southern Ocean. It is the sole member of the genus Daption within the family Procellariidae, which includes fulmars, shearwaters, and other petrels. Renowned for its striking black-and-white checkered plumage, this species is a common sight around Antarctica and subantarctic islands, often following ships.

Description and taxonomy

The Cape petrel is a medium-sized petrel with a wingspan of approximately 80–90 cm and a body length of 35–40 cm. Its most diagnostic feature is its unique black-and-white checkered pattern on the mantle, back, and upper wings, while its head, neck, and underparts are primarily white. The species was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in the 1758 edition of Systema Naturae. It belongs to the order Procellariiformes, sharing tube-nosed anatomical traits with allies like the Antarctic petrel and the snow petrel. Two subspecies are generally recognized: the nominate D. c. capense and the slightly larger D. c. australe, found further south. Its genus name Daption is an anagram of "pintado," an old Portuguese term for "painted," referencing its plumage.

Distribution and habitat

This petrel has a circumpolar distribution throughout the cold waters of the Southern Ocean. Its range extends from the pack ice of Antarctica north to approximately 40°S, encompassing islands such as South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, the Falkland Islands, and the Antipodes Islands. During the breeding season, it nests on cliffs and rocky slopes of subantarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Outside breeding, it is highly pelagic, dispersing widely across open ocean, often seen in the Drake Passage, near the Scotia Sea, and off the coasts of New Zealand, South Africa, and South America.

Behaviour and ecology

Cape petrels are highly gregarious, often forming large flocks at sea, especially around fishing vessels and whaling ships where they scavenge for offal. Their diet consists primarily of krill, small fish, and squid, obtained by surface-seizing or shallow diving. They are known for their characteristic flight, involving stiff-winged glides and rapid wingbeats close to the water. Breeding colonies are established in spring on remote islands; a single white egg is laid in a simple rock scrape or crevice. Both parents share incubation duties over approximately 45 days and subsequently feed the chick by regurgitation. Major predators at colonies include brown skuas and southern giant petrels.

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Cape petrel as Least Concern due to its extremely large population, estimated in the millions, and a vast range. Key breeding sites are largely within the protected areas of the Antarctic Treaty System, such as those managed under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Potential threats include longline fisheries bycatch, pollution, and disturbance at accessible colonies, but current population trends appear stable. Ongoing monitoring is conducted by organizations like the British Antarctic Survey and BirdLife International.

Relationship with humans

Historically, Cape petrels were well-known to sailors on expeditions to the Southern Ocean, including those of James Cook and Ernest Shackleton, who noted their abundance. They were often called "Cape pigeons" due to their familiarity around ships in the Cape of Good Hope region. While not directly exploited, they have benefited from human activity as scavengers behind vessels. The species features in the ornithological works of early explorers like Robert F. Scott and is a subject of study in polar ecology. Its striking pattern makes it a recognizable species for participants in ecotourism voyages to Antarctica.

Category:Procellariidae Category:Birds of the Southern Ocean Category:Birds of Antarctica Category:Birds described in 1758