Oceanitidae – Austral Storm Petrels

Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica ©Trevor Hardaker Website

The Oceanitinae is one of two subfamilies of storm petrels. Because the distribution of the subfamily is predominantly in the southern hemisphere they are sometimes known as the southern storm petrels. The subfamily contains five genera in which there are eight species. They were the second group of storm petrels to break off from the ancestral petrel stock, and for this reason some authors have suggested that they should constitute a separate family from the Hydrobatinae storm petrels.

According to the IOC there are just 9 Austral Storm Petrels in the newly split family of Oceanitidae, which are:

Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Elliot’s Storm Petrel Oceanites gracilis
Pincoya Storm Petrel Oceanites pincoyae

Grey-backed Storm Petrel Garrodia nereis

White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina

White-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta grallaria
Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica
New Zealand Storm Petrel Fregetta maoriana

Polynesian Storm Petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa

Species Links
  • Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica

    Cornell Species Account
    The Black-bellied Storm-Petrel is very closely related to the White-bellied Storm-Petrel (F. grallaria), as the name implies their belly color is different but they also differ in the average water temperature they choose.
  • Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica

    IUCN Species Status
  • Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica

    Species Account
    Black-bellied storm petrels are found throughout the Southern Ocean, where they breed on many subantarctic islands, and may sometimes be seen off the southern New Zealand coast during the breeding season.
  • Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map.
  • Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica

    Species Account
    It is found in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Bouvet Island, Brazil, Chile, Falkland Islands, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Madagascar, Mozambique, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Saint Helena, São Tomé and Príncipe, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.

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