Knowra Procellariidae Procellariidae Procellariidae is a family of ocean-going seabirds that includes petrels, shearwaters, and fulmars. Its members have tubular nostrils and typically spend much of their lives at sea, returning to land to breed.
Tubular-nosed seabirds : A group of seabirds characterized by tubular external nostrils, including albatrosses, petrels, and storm petrels. Procellariidae belongs to this broader group, whose nostril structure gives the family its characteristic profile.
Procellariiform foraging strategies : The varied ways albatrosses, petrels, and related seabirds search for and capture prey at sea. Procellariids combine surface-seizing, pursuit, and scavenging strategies to exploit dispersed ocean food.
Longline fishing : A fishing method that deploys a line carrying many baited hooks, sometimes stretching for kilometers. Procellariids can seize baited hooks and drown when longlines are set or hauled.
Northern fulmar : A widespread North Atlantic seabird in the petrel family, recognizable by its stiff-winged flight and nasal defense. It is a familiar fulmar whose expansion into new breeding regions illustrates changing seabird distributions.
Salt gland : An organ above the eyes that removes excess salt from the blood and excretes it through the nasal passages. It helps procellariids drink seawater and consume salty prey without accumulating excess salt.
Central-place foraging : Foraging behavior in which an animal repeatedly returns to a fixed place, such as a nest, with food. Breeding adults must balance distant feeding trips against the need to provision chicks at colonies.
Bycatch : The unintended capture of animals during fishing directed at other species. Fisheries bycatch is a major source of mortality for many petrels and shearwaters.
Manx shearwater : A small black-and-white shearwater that breeds in the North Atlantic and migrates to the South Atlantic. Its long migration and nocturnal colony visits typify adaptations shared by many shearwaters.
Dynamic soaring : A flight technique that extracts energy from differences in wind speed above the ocean surface. Shearwaters and other procellariids use wind gradients to travel long distances with little flapping.
Procellariiform breeding biology : The reproductive patterns of albatrosses, petrels, and related seabirds, often involving burrows and prolonged chick care. Many family members nest in burrows and raise a single chick through extended absences at sea.
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