{"id":4473,"date":"2020-11-27T19:31:49","date_gmt":"2020-11-27T19:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/?p=4473"},"modified":"2020-12-07T02:22:08","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T02:22:08","slug":"seabird-or-sea-bandit-fork-tailed-storm-petrels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/2020\/11\/27\/seabird-or-sea-bandit-fork-tailed-storm-petrels\/","title":{"rendered":"Seabird or Sea-Bandit?: Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019re on a fishing vessel 25 km off the west coast of Tofino, staring into the expansion of grey ocean surrounding you from all directions, no land in sight. Your first thought is \u201cOh god, I just spent over $200 to see nothing<\/strong>. I could have just stayed home to watch youtube videos of this for free!” As your thoughts begin to spin out of control, your tour guide starts dumping dead fish into the ocean, and that along with your oncoming sea-sickness, only adds to the nauseating feeling growing in your stomach. \u201cThere\u2019s no way that\u2019s going to attract any seabirds\u201d you begin to think, \u201cthere\u2019s nothing for miles!\u201d At this point you’re basking in dread and ready to throw your binoculars into the ocean out of pure frustration. As you’re fighting back sea-sickness, you see a small spec in the horizon. As the shape grows bigger you see that it\u2019s a small, silverish, angry looking bird. Excitement begins to replace the dread in your chest, as more of the same angry looking birds begin to follow. As they come closer you recognize the small bill, forked-tail, and charcoal mask covering their eyes. Pure ecstasy encases your entire body as you recognize this moment as your first glimpse of the sea-bandit itself: The Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identification <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you want to embark on the cold and wet journey of seeing a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata) <\/em>with your own eyes, learning how to identify them is the perfect first step. Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels are a member of the order Procellariiformes, the tube-nose birds that are characterized by their tubular nostrils, and the ability to excrete concentrated salt in drops from their hooked bill (BCS<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 1: Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel in flight. (Photo by Bryce Robinson<\/a>).<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

They are small for a seabird with a length of 20 cm and a weight of 50 – 80 g (think of the size between a Robin and a Crow), and size does not vary between sexes (All About Birds<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 2: Scale of the relative size of a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel. Credit: All About Birds<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

They have long, pointed wings and a long forked tail, hence their name, and a small bill and short, stubby neck (eBird<\/a>). Overall, their colour is silverish-bluish gray, with darker charcoal on their shoulders and underwing, and around their eyes giving them the appearance of a mask-wearing bandit (All About Birds<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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