The taxonomy

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...

 of the Procellariidae

Procellariidae

The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes , which also includes the albatrosses, the storm-petrels, and the diving petrels.The procellariids are...

, or procellariids, is complex and still a matter of some debate. The traditional taxonomy breaks the procellariids into four main groups, the fulmarine petrel

Fulmarine petrel

The fulmarine petrels or fulmar-petrels are a distinct group of petrels within the procellariidae family. They are the most variable of the four groups within the Procellariidae, differing greatly in size and biology. They do have, however, have a unifying feature, their skull, and in particular...

s, the prions

Prion (bird)

The Prions are small petrels in the genera Pachyptila and Halobaena. They form one of the four groups within the Procellariidae , along with the gadfly petrels, shearwaters and fulmarine petrels....

, the gadfly petrel

Gadfly petrel

The gadfly petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. These medium to large petrels feed on food items picked from the ocean surface....

s and the shearwater

Shearwater

Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...

s. Recent studies have called this arrangement into question.

Traditional taxonomy

This traditional taxonomy is based upon Carboneras (1992) in the Handbook of the Birds of the World

Handbook of the Birds of the World

The Handbook of the Birds of the World is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. The series is edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal and David A Christie.So far, 15...

.

Fulmarine petrel

Fulmarine petrel

The fulmarine petrels or fulmar-petrels are a distinct group of petrels within the procellariidae family. They are the most variable of the four groups within the Procellariidae, differing greatly in size and biology. They do have, however, have a unifying feature, their skull, and in particular...

s

• Macronectes

• Fulmarus

• Thalassoica

• Daption

• Pagodroma
  Snow Petrel
  The Snow Petrel is the only member of the genus Pagodroma. It is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica and has been seen at the South Pole. It has the most southerly breeding distribution of any bird.-Taxonomy:...
  
  

Gadfly petrel

Gadfly petrel

The gadfly petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. These medium to large petrels feed on food items picked from the ocean surface....

s

• Pterodroma

• Bulweria
  Bulweria
  Bulweria is a genus of seabirds in the family Procellariidae named after English naturalist James Bulwer. The genus has two living species, Bulwer's Petrel and Jouanin's Petrel...
  
  

Prions

Prion (bird)

The Prions are small petrels in the genera Pachyptila and Halobaena. They form one of the four groups within the Procellariidae , along with the gadfly petrels, shearwaters and fulmarine petrels....

• Halobaena

• Pachyptila
  Pachyptila
  Pachyptila is a genus from the family Procellariidae and the Procellariiformes order. The members of this genus and the Blue Petrel form a sub-group called Prions.-Etymology:...
  
  

Shearwater

Shearwater

Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...

s

• Procellaria
  Procellaria
  Procellaria is a genus of southern ocean long-winged seabirds related to prions and a member of the Procellariiformes order.-Taxonomy:Procellaria is a member of the family Procellariidae and the order procellariiformes. As members of Procellariiformes, they share certain characteristics. First they...
  
  

• Calonectris
  Calonectris
  Calonectris is a genus of seabirds. It comprises three large shearwaters. There are two other shearwater genera. Puffinus, which comprises about twenty small to medium-sized shearwaters, and Procellaria with another four large species...
  
  

• Puffinus
  Puffinus
  Puffinus is a genus of seabirds in the order Procellariiformes. It comprises about 20 small to medium-sized shearwaters. There are two other shearwater genera: Calonectris, which comprises three large shearwaters, and Procellaria with another four large species...
  
  

Revised taxonomy

Based on Austin (1996), Bretagnolle et al. (1998), Nunn & Stanley (1998) and Brooke (2004), several changes have been made from the more traditional taxonomy. The two species in the genus Bulweria

Bulweria

Bulweria is a genus of seabirds in the family Procellariidae named after English naturalist James Bulwer. The genus has two living species, Bulwer's Petrel and Jouanin's Petrel...

are no longer considered close to the rest of the gadfly petrel

Gadfly petrel

The gadfly petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. These medium to large petrels feed on food items picked from the ocean surface....

s; several more gadfly petrels are removed from Pterodroma and placed in Pseudobulweria

Pseudobulweria

Pseudobulweria is a genus of seabirds in the family Procellariidae. They have long been retained with the gadfly petrel genus Pterodroma despite morphological differences. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence analysis has confirmed the split out of Pterodroma and places the genus closer to shearwaters...

(allied to the shearwaters), and the Kerguelen Petrel

Kerguelen Petrel

The Kerguelen Petrel is a small slate-grey seabird in the family Procellariidae. The species has been described as a "taxonomic oddball", being placed for a long time in Pterodroma before being split out in 1942 into its own genus Lugensa...

 is also removed from Pterodroma and placed in the monotypic Lugensa. Several taxa are also elevated to species status on the basis of newer studies.

Fulmarine petrel

Fulmarine petrel

The fulmarine petrels or fulmar-petrels are a distinct group of petrels within the procellariidae family. They are the most variable of the four groups within the Procellariidae, differing greatly in size and biology. They do have, however, have a unifying feature, their skull, and in particular...

s

• Macronectes
  • Macronectes halli, Northern Giant Petrel
    Northern Giant Petrel
    The Northern Giant Petrel , also known as the Hall's Giant Petrel, is a large seabird of the southern oceans. Its distribution overlaps broadly with the similar Southern Giant Petrel, though it overall is centered slightly further north.-Taxonomy:The Northern Giant Petrel along with its...
    
    
  • Macronectes giganteus, Southern Giant Petrel
    Southern Giant Petrel
    The Southern Giant Petrel , also known as the Antarctic Giant Petrel, Giant Fulmar, Stinker, and Stinkpot, is a large seabird of the southern oceans. Its distribution overlaps broadly with the similar Northern Giant Petrel, though it overall is centered slightly further south...
    
    
• Fulmarus
  • Fulmarus glacialis, Northern Fulmar
    Northern Fulmar
    The Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, Fulmar, or Arctic Fulmar is a highly abundant sea bird found primarily in subarctic regions of the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans. Fulmars come in one of two color morphs: a light one which is almost entirely white, and a dark one which is...
    
    
  • Filmarus glacialoides, Southern Fulmar
    Southern Fulmar
    The Southern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, is a seabird of the Southern Hemisphere. Along with the Northern Fulmar, F. glacialis, it belongs to the fulmar genus Fulmarus in the family Procellariidae, the true petrels...
    
    
• Thalassoica
  • Thalassoica antarctica, Antarctic Petrel
    Antarctic Petrel
    The Antarctic Petrel is a boldly marked dark brown and white petrel, found in Antarctica, most commonly in the Ross and Weddell seas. They eat Antarctic krill, fish, and small squid...
    
    
• Daption
  • Daption capense, Cape Petrel
    Cape Petrel
    The Cape Petrel also called Cape Pigeon or Pintado Petrel, is a common seabird of the Southern Ocean from the family Procellariidae. It is the only member of the genus Daption, and is allied to the fulmarine petrels, and the Giant Petrels. It is also sometimes known as the Cape Fulmar...
    
    
• Pagodroma
  Snow Petrel
  The Snow Petrel is the only member of the genus Pagodroma. It is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica and has been seen at the South Pole. It has the most southerly breeding distribution of any bird.-Taxonomy:...
  
  
  • Pagodroma nivea, Snow Petrel
    Snow Petrel
    The Snow Petrel is the only member of the genus Pagodroma. It is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica and has been seen at the South Pole. It has the most southerly breeding distribution of any bird.-Taxonomy:...
    
    

Prions

Prion (bird)

The Prions are small petrels in the genera Pachyptila and Halobaena. They form one of the four groups within the Procellariidae , along with the gadfly petrels, shearwaters and fulmarine petrels....

• Halobaena
  • Halobaena caerula, Blue Petrel
    Blue Petrel
    The Blue Petrel is a small seabird in the family Procellariidae. This small petrel is the only member of the genus Halobaena but is closely allied to the prions.-Taxonomy:...
    
    
• Pachyptila
  Pachyptila
  Pachyptila is a genus from the family Procellariidae and the Procellariiformes order. The members of this genus and the Blue Petrel form a sub-group called Prions.-Etymology:...
  
  
  • Pachyptila turtur, Fairy Prion
    Fairy Prion
    The Fairy Prion is a small seabird with the standard prion plumage of black upperparts and white underneath with an "M" wing marking.-Taxonomy:...
    
    
  • Pachyptila belcheri, Slender-billed Prion
    Slender-billed Prion
    The Slender-billed Prion or Thin-billed Prion, Pachyptila belcheri, is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in the southern oceans.-Taxonomy:...
    
    
  • Pachyptila crassirostris, Fulmar Prion
    Fulmar Prion
    The Fulmar Prion, Pachyptila crassirostris, is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family, found in the southern oceans-Taxonomy:...
    
    
  • Pachyptila vittata, Broad-billed Prion
    Broad-billed Prion
    The Broad-billed Prion, Pachyptila vittata, is a small seabird, but the largest Prion, with grey upperparts plumage, and white underparts. It has many other names that have been used such as Blue-billed Dove-petrel, Broad-billed Dove-petrel, Long-billed Prion, Common Prion, Icebird, and...
    
    
  • Pachyptila desolata, Antarctic Prion
    Antarctic Prion
    The Antarctic Prion, Pachyptila desolata, also known as the Dove Prion, or Totorore in Maori, is the largest of the prions, a genus of small petrels of the Southern Ocean.-Taxonomy:...
    
    
  • Pachyptila salvin, Salvin's Prion

Procellarine petrels

Shearwater

Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...

• Procellaria
  Procellaria
  Procellaria is a genus of southern ocean long-winged seabirds related to prions and a member of the Procellariiformes order.-Taxonomy:Procellaria is a member of the family Procellariidae and the order procellariiformes. As members of Procellariiformes, they share certain characteristics. First they...
  
  
  • Procellaria aequinoctialis, White-chinned Petrel
    White-chinned Petrel
    The White-chinned Petrel or Cape Hen, Procellaria aequinoctialis, is a large shearwater in the family Procellariidae. It ranges around the Southern Oceans as far north as South Australia, Peru and Namibia, and breeds colonially on scattered islands....
    
    
  • Procellaria conspicillata, Spectacled Petrel
    Spectacled Petrel
    The Spectacled Petrel, Procellaria conspicillata, is a rare seabird that nests only on the high western plateau of Inaccessible Island in the Tristan da Cunha group. It is one of the largest petrels that nest in burrows.-Description:...
    
    
  • Procellaria westlandica, Westland Petrel
    Westland Petrel
    The Westland Petrel is a rare seabird that nests in New Zealand's forests. It is one of the largest petrels that nest in burrows, and is threatened by species introduced to New Zealand....
    
    
  • Procellaria parkinsoni, Black Petrel
  • Procellaria cinerea, Grey Petrel
    Grey Petrel
    The Grey Petrel , also called the Brown Petrel, Pediunker or Grey Shearwater is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae, or petrel family...
    
    
• Bulweria
  Bulweria
  Bulweria is a genus of seabirds in the family Procellariidae named after English naturalist James Bulwer. The genus has two living species, Bulwer's Petrel and Jouanin's Petrel...
  
  
  • Bulweria bulwerii, Bulwer's Petrel
    Bulwer's Petrel
    The Bulwer's Petrel is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and is one of two species in the genus Bulweria . This bird is named after the Scottish naturalist James Bulwer.- Description :...
    
    
  • Bulweria fallax, Jouanin's Petrel
    Jouanin's Petrel
    Jouanin's Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in Djibouti, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kenya, Maldives, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, and Yemen....
    
    
  • †Bulweria bifax, Small Saint Helena Petrel (extinct
    Extinction
    In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
    
    )

Shearwater

Shearwater

Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...

s

• Calonectris
  Calonectris
  Calonectris is a genus of seabirds. It comprises three large shearwaters. There are two other shearwater genera. Puffinus, which comprises about twenty small to medium-sized shearwaters, and Procellaria with another four large species...
  
  
  • Calonectris (diomedea) borealis, Cory's Shearwater
    Cory's Shearwater
    The Cory's Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.This species breeds on islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean, with the odd outpost on the Atlantic coast of Iberia. The nest is on open ground or among rocks or less often in a burrow where one white egg is laid,...
    
    
    • Calonectris (diomedea) diomedea, Scopoli's Shearwater
  • Calonectris edwardsii, Cape Verde Shearwater
    Cape Verde Shearwater
    The Cape Verde Shearwater , or Cagarra locally, is a medium-large shearwater, a seabird in the petrel family Procellariidae. It is a breeding endemic of the Cape Verde archipelago of Macaronesia in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa.-Taxonomy:The Cape Verde Shearwater was originally...
    
    
  • Calonectris leucomelas, Streaked Shearwater
    Streaked Shearwater
    The Streaked Shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas is a species of seabird. The bird is 48 cm in size, with a 122 cm wingspan. This species is pelagic, but also occurs in inshore waters. It occurs in the Pacific Ocean, nesting in Japan and many of its offshore islands. After breeding, the Streaked...
    
    
• Puffinus
  Puffinus
  Puffinus is a genus of seabirds in the order Procellariiformes. It comprises about 20 small to medium-sized shearwaters. There are two other shearwater genera: Calonectris, which comprises three large shearwaters, and Procellaria with another four large species...
  
  
• (Sub)Genus Puffinus ("Puffinus" group) - smaller species, closely related to Calonectris
  Calonectris
  Calonectris is a genus of seabirds. It comprises three large shearwaters. There are two other shearwater genera. Puffinus, which comprises about twenty small to medium-sized shearwaters, and Procellaria with another four large species...
  
  
  • Puffinus nativatis, Christmas Shearwater
    Christmas Shearwater
    The Christmas Shearwater, Puffinus nativitatis, is a medium-sized shearwater of the tropical Central Pacific. It is a poorly known species due to its remote nesting habits, and it has not been extensively studied at sea either....
    
    
  • Puffinus subalaris, Galápagos Shearwater
    Galápagos Shearwater
    The Galápagos Shearwater, Puffinus subalaris is a small shearwater. Until recently it was considered to be a subspecies of Audubon's Shearwater, but it is actually one of two members of a very ancient lineage of the small Puffinus species, the other being, as indicated by mtDNA cytochrome b...
    
    
  • Puffinus gavia, Fluttering Shearwater
    Fluttering Shearwater
    The Fluttering Shearwater is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in New Zealand and Solomon Islands.Its natural habitats are open seas and rocky shores.-References:...
    
    
  • Puffinus huttoni, Hutton's Shearwater
    Hutton's Shearwater
    The Hutton's Shearwater is a species of seabird in the family Procellariidae. Its common and specific name commemorates F. W. Hutton, a former curator of the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch....
    
    
  • Puffinus yelkouan, Yelkouan Shearwater
    Yelkouan Shearwater
    The Yelkouan Shearwater, Levantine Shearwater or Mediterranean Shearwater is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.-Description and identification:...
    
    
  • Puffinus mauretanicus, Balearic Shearwater
    Balearic Shearwater
    The Balearic Shearwater is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It was long regarded a subspecies of the Manx Shearwater; see there for more on the Puffinus puffinus superspecies; following an initial split it was held to be a subspecies of the "Mediterranean Shearwater"...
    
    
  • Puffinus assimilis, Little Shearwater
    Little Shearwater
    The Little Shearwater is a small shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data indicates that the former North Atlantic Little Shearwater group is closer to Audubon's Shearwater , and myrtae being closer to the Newell's and possibly Townsend's Shearwater...
    
    
  • Puffinus heinrothi, Heinroth's Shearwater
    Heinroth's Shearwater
    Heinroth's Shearwater is a poorly known seabird in the family Procellariidae. Probably a close relative of the Little Shearwater or Audubon's Shearwater , it is distinguished by a long and slender bill and a brown-washed underside.This species is restricted to the seas around the Bismarck...
    
    
  • Puffinus lherminieri, Audubon's Shearwater
    Audubon's Shearwater
    Audubon's Shearwater, Puffinus lherminieri, is a common tropical seabird from the family Procellariidae. Sometimes called Dusky-backed Shearwater, the scientific name of this species commemorates the French naturalist Félix Louis L'Herminier....
    
    
    • Puffinus (lherminieri) baroli, North Atlantic Little Shearwater
      North Atlantic Little Shearwater
      The Barolo Shearwater , also known as the North Atlantic Little Shearwater or Macaronesian Shearwater, is a small shearwater which breeds in the North Atlantic....
      
      
    • Puffinus (lherminieri) persicus, Persian Shearwater
    • Puffinus (lherminieri) bailloni, Tropical Shearwater or Baillon's Shearwater
    • Puffinus (lherminieri) bannermani, Bannerman's Shearwater
  • Puffinus Puffinus, Manx Shearwater
    Manx Shearwater
    The Manx Shearwater is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx Shearwaters were called Manks Puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters...
    
    
  • Puffinus opisthomelas, Black-vented Shearwater
    Black-vented Shearwater
    The Black-vented Shearwater is a species of seabird. The bird is 30–38 cm in size, with a 76–89 cm wingspan. Formerly considered a subspecies of the Manx Shearwater, its actual relationships are unresolved....
    
    
  • Puffinus auricularis, Townsend's Shearwater
    Townsend's Shearwater
    Townsend's Shearwater, Puffinus auricularis, is a rare seabird of the tropics from the family Procellariidae.Its relationships are unresolved. Its closest relatives are probably, but not certainly, the Hawaiian Shearwater and possibly the Manx Shearwater...
    
    
  • Puffinus newelli, Hawaiian Shearwater
  • †Puffinus parvus, Bermuda Shearwater (extinct
    Extinction
    In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
    
    )

• (Sub)Genus Ardenna ("Neonectris" group) - larger species, a distinct lineage
  • Puffinus creatopus, Pink-footed shearwater
    Pink-footed Shearwater
    The Pink-footed Shearwater is a species of seabird. The bird is 48 cm in size, with a 109 cm wingspan. It is polymorphic, having both darker and lighter phase populations...
    
    
  • Puffinus carneipes, Flesh-footed Shearwater
    Flesh-footed Shearwater
    The Flesh-footed Shearwater, Puffinus carneipes, is a small shearwater. Its plumage is black. It has pale pinkish feet, and a pale bill with a black tip. Together with the equally light-billed Pink-footed Shearwater, it forms the Hemipuffinus group, a superspecies which may or may not have an...
    
    
  • Puffinus gravis, Great Shearwater
    Great Shearwater
    The Great Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. Its relationships are unclear. It belongs in the group of large species that could be separated as genus Ardenna ; within these, it might be allied with the other black-billed, blunt-tailed species Short-tailed...
    
    
  • Puffinus griseus, Sooty Shearwater
    Sooty Shearwater
    The Sooty Shearwater is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. In New Zealand it is also known by its Māori name tītī and as "muttonbird", like its relatives the Wedge-tailed Shearwater and the Australian Short-tailed Shearwater The Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) is...
    
    
  • Puffinus tenuirostris, Short-tailed Shearwater
    Short-tailed Shearwater
    The Short-tailed Shearwater or Slender-billed Shearwater , also called Yolla or Moonbird, and commonly known as the muttonbird in Australia, is the most abundant seabird species in Australian waters, and is one of the few Australian native birds in which the chicks are commercially harvested...
    
    
  • Puffinus pacificus, Wedge-tailed Shearwater
    Wedge-tailed Shearwater
    The Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It is one of the shearwater species that is sometimes referred to as a Muttonbird, like the Sooty Shearwater of New Zealand and the Short-tailed Shearwater of Australia...
    
    
  • Puffinus bulleri, Buller's Shearwater
    Buller's Shearwater
    Buller's Shearwater is a Pacific species of seabird in the family Procellariidae; it is also known as the Grey-backed Shearwater or New Zealand Shearwater...
    
    
• Pseudobulweria
  Pseudobulweria
  Pseudobulweria is a genus of seabirds in the family Procellariidae. They have long been retained with the gadfly petrel genus Pterodroma despite morphological differences. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence analysis has confirmed the split out of Pterodroma and places the genus closer to shearwaters...
  
  
  • Puffinus macgillivrayi, Fiji Petrel
    Fiji Petrel
    The Fiji Petrel , also known as MacGillivray's Petrel, is a small, dark gadfly petrel.The Fiji Petrel was originally known from one immature specimen found in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji by naturalist John MacGillivray on board 'HMS Herald' who took the carcass to the British Museum in London...
    
    
  • Puffinus rostrata, Tahiti Petrel
    Tahiti Petrel
    The Tahiti Petrel, Pétrel De Tahiti, or Petrel De Tahití is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family....
    
    
  • Puffinus becki, Beck's Petrel
    Beck's Petrel
    Beck’s Petrel, Pseudobulweria becki, is a small, recently rediscovered shearwater. It is dark brown above and on the head and throat. It is dark underneath the wings with a fairly distinct white wingbar. The belly and breast are white...
    
    
  • Puffinus aterrima, Mascarene Petrel
  • †Puffinus rupinarus, Large Saint Helena Petrel (extinct
    Extinction
    In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
    
    )
• Lugensa
  • Lugensa brevirostris, Kerguelen Petrel
    Kerguelen Petrel
    The Kerguelen Petrel is a small slate-grey seabird in the family Procellariidae. The species has been described as a "taxonomic oddball", being placed for a long time in Pterodroma before being split out in 1942 into its own genus Lugensa...
    
    

Gadfly petrel

Gadfly petrel

The gadfly petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. These medium to large petrels feed on food items picked from the ocean surface....

s

• Pterodroma
  • Pterodroma baraui, Barau's Petrel
    Barau's Petrel
    Barau's Petrel, Pterodroma baraui is a medium sized gadfly petrel from the family Procellariidae. Its main breeding site is the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.-Etymology:...
    
    
  • Pterodroma arminjoniana, Trindade Petrel
    • Pterodroma (arminjoniana) heraldica, Herald Petrel
      Herald Petrel
      The Trindade Petrel, Pterodroma arminjoniana, is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 35-39 cm in size, with a 88-102 cm wingspan....
      
      
  • Pterodroma externa, Juan Fernandez Petrel
    Juan Fernández Petrel
    The Juan Fernández Petrel, Pétrel De Juan Fernandez, or Peterel De Las Juan Fernádez is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family....
    
    
  • Pterodroma neglecta, Kermadec Petrel
    Kermadec Petrel
    The Kermadec Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.-Distribution:It is found in Australia, Chile, Japan, Mexico, Micronesia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Pitcairn, and the United States....
    
    
  • Pterodroma phaeopygia, Galapagos Petrel
    Galápagos Petrel
    The Galápagos Petrel is a large, long-winged gadfly petrel. The species was once known as the Dark-rumped Petrel, although recent taxonomic changes have eliminated that name from current use...
    
    
  • Pterodroma sandwichensis, Hawaiian Petrel
    Hawaiian Petrel
    The Hawaiian Petrel or Uau is a large, dark grey-brown and white petrel that is endemic to Hawaii.-Distribution:...
    
    
  • Pterodroma atrata, Henderson Petrel
    Henderson Petrel
    The Henderson Petrel is a ground-nesting species of seabird in the Procellariidae family. Adult species measure on average 37 cm. It has a uniform grey-brown plumage...
    
    
  • Pterodroma alba, Phoenix Petrel
    Phoenix Petrel
    The Phoenix Petrel, Pterodroma alba is a medium-sized, up to long, tropical seabird with a wingspan of . It has a dark brown upperparts plumage, white below and whitish throat. Both sexes are similar....
    
    
  • Pterodroma feae, Fea's Petrel
    Fea's Petrel
    Fea's Petrel is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, Pterodroma. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of the Soft-plumaged Petrel, P. mollis, but they are actually not closely related at all. However, P. feae is very closely related to Zino's Petrel and Deserta's Petrel, two...
    
    
  • Pterodroma madeira, Zino's Petrel
    Zino's Petrel
    The Zino's Petrel or Freira, Pterodroma madeira, is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus which is endemic to the island of Madeira. This long-winged petrel has a grey back and wings, with a dark "W" marking across the wings, and a grey upper tail...
    
     or Madeira Petrel
  • Pterodroma mollis, Soft-plumaged Petrel
    Soft-plumaged Petrel
    The Soft-plumaged Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.-Distribution:It breeds on islands in the Southern Hemisphere, nesting on Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Islands, Macquarie Island, and on the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand. Small...
    
    
  • Pterodroma cahow, Bermuda Petrel
    Bermuda Petrel
    The Bermuda Petrel, Pterodroma cahow, is a gadfly petrel. Commonly known in Bermuda as the Cahow, a name derived from its eerie cries, this nocturnal ground-nesting seabird is the national bird of Bermuda, and a symbol of hope for nature conservation. It was thought extinct for 330 years...
    
    
  • Pterodroma hasitata, Black-capped Petrel
    Black-capped Petrel
    The Black-capped Petrel is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, Pterodroma. It is also known as the Diablotín. The extinct Jamaica Petrel was a related dark form, often considered a subspecies of this bird.This long-winged petrel has a grey-brown back and wings, with a white nape and rump...
    
    
  • †Pterodroma caribbaea, Jamaica Petrel
    Jamaica Petrel
    The Jamaica Petrel is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, Pterodroma. It is also known as the Blue Mountain Duck. It is related to the Black-capped Petrel P. hasitata, and often considered a subspecies.This species was last collected in 1879, and was searched for without success between...
    
     (probably extinct
    Extinction
    In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
    
    )
  • Pterodroma incerta, Atlantic Petrel
    Atlantic Petrel
    The Atlantic Petrel is a gadfly petrel endemic to the South Atlantic Ocean. It breeds in enormous colonies on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island, and ranges at sea from Brazil to Namibia, with most records at sea being to the west of the breeding islands, and along the subtropical convergence.The...
    
    
  • Pterodroma lessonii, White-headed Petrel
    White-headed Petrel
    The White-headed Petrel , also known as the White-headed Fulmar is a species of seabird in the petrel family, or Procellariidae. Its length is about 400 mm....
    
    
  • Pterodroma magentae, Magenta Petrel
    Magenta Petrel
    The Magenta Petrel or Chatham Island Taiko is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, Pterodroma....
    
    
  • Pterodroma macroptera, Great-winged Petrel
    Great-winged Petrel
    The Great-winged Petrel or Grey-faced Petrel, Pterodroma macroptera, is a petrel. In New Zealand it is also known by its Māori name oi and as a muttonbird.- Taxonomy :...
    
    
  • Pterodroma solandri, Providence Petrel
    Providence Petrel
    The Providence Petrel is a species that burrows in one location; isolated Lord Howe Island, some 800km from the Australian mainland in the Tasman Sea....
    
    
  • Pterodroma ultima, Murphy's Petrel
    Murphy's Petrel
    Murphy's Petrel is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 38-41 cm in size, with a 97 cm wingspan....
    
    
  • Pterodroma inexpectata, Mottled Petrel
    Mottled Petrel
    The Mottled Petrel is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 33-35 cm in size, with a 74-82 cm wingspan....
    
    
    
  • Pterodroma pycrofti, Pycroft's Petrel
    Pycroft's Petrel
    The Pycroft's Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in Japan, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, the United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands, and Wallis and Futuna Islands....
    
    
  • Pterodroma longirostris, Stejneger's Petrel
    Stejneger's Petrel
    Stejneger's Petrel is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 26–31 cm in size, with a 53–66 cm wingspan....
    
    
  • Pterodroma brevipes, Collared Petrel
    Collared Petrel
    The Collared Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family. It is sometimes regarded as a subspecies of Gould's Petrel ....
    
    
  • Pterodroma leucoptera, Gould's Petrel
    Gould's Petrel
    Gould's Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family. It is a small petrel, 30 cm long with a wingspan of about 70 cm. It is largely grey above and white below with a blackish crown and hindneck and a black M-shaped band across the wings and rump.The subspecies P. l...
    
    
  • †Pterodroma cf. leucoptera, Mangareva Petrel (possibly extinct
    Extinction
    In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
    
    )
  • Pterodroma cookii, Cook's Petrel
    Cook's Petrel
    Cook's Petrel , one of the smallest petrels, is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 25-30 cm in size, with a 65-66 cm wingspan...
    
    
  • Pterodroma defilippiana, Mas a Tierra Petrel
  • Pterodroma hypoleuca, Bonin Petrel
    Bonin Petrel
    The Bonin Petrel, Pterodroma hypoleuca, is a seabird in the family Procellariidae. It is a small gadfly petrel that lives in the waters of the north west Pacific and nests on islands south of Japan and in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands...
    
    
  • Pterodroma cervicalis, White-necked Petrel
    White-necked Petrel
    The White-necked Petrel , also known as the White-naped Petrel, is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family. During non-breeding season it occurs throughout a large part of the Pacific, but it is only known to breed on Macauley Island in New Zealand's Kermadec Islands and the Australian...
    
    
  • Pterodroma occulta, Vanuatu Petrel
  • Pterodroma nigripennis, Black-winged Petrel
    Black-winged Petrel
    The Black-winged Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in Australia, French Polynesia, Japan, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and the United States.-References:...
    
    
  • Pterodroma axillaris, Chatham Petrel
    Chatham Petrel
    The Chatham Petrel or Ranguru is a medium-sized, grey, white and black gadfly petrel. It is endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, and until recently was restricted to the 218 ha Rangatira or South-East Island....
    
    

An undescribed prehistorically extinct

Late Quaternary prehistoric birds

Prehistoric birds are various taxa of birds that became extinct before recorded history, or more precisely, before they could be studied alive by bird scientists...

 species was found on Easter Island

Easter Island

Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...

. For other non-Recent extinctions, see the genus accounts.