Diving petrel

The diving petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. There are four very similar species all in the family Pelacanoididae and genus Pelacanoides.

These are auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans. The resemblances with that unrelated group are due to convergence, since both dive for fish.

These birds nest in colonies on islands. One white egg is laid in a burrow in turf or soft soil. They are nocturnal at the breeding colonies.

The four species are:

Order: Procellariiformes

• Diomedeidae, albatrosses
• Procellariidae, fulmars, prions, shearwaters, gadfly and other petrels
• Hydrobatidae, storm petrels
• Pelecanoididae, diving petrels
  • Peruvian Diving Petrel[?] Pelecanoides garnotii
  • Magellan Diving Petrel[?] Pelecanoides magellani
  • Georgian Diving Petrel[?] Pelecanoides georgicus
  • Common Diving Petrel[?] Pelecanoides urinatrix