Black-capped Petrel

Overview

Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) is a species of Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels (Procellariidae) in the order Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters.

Scientific Classification

Genus: Pterodroma; binomial: Pterodroma hasitata; authority: (Kuhl, 1820).

Distribution

Breeding range: the Atlantic Ocean. Non-breeding range: to Gulf Stream off s Canada to North Carolina and continental shelf waters to Florida and throughout Caribbean Sea.

Conservation Status

This taxon is listed as Extant (living) in the IOC World Bird List.

Remarks

The "white-faced" and "black-faced" forms of this species, currently regarded as "morphs", differ in size, plumage and molt timing. In addition to their different breeding territories, the "white-faced" form appears to have a more northerly post-breeding distribution into the c North Atlanic. Two species may be involved (Howell & Patteson 2008; Manly et al. 2013; Howell & Zufelt 2019).