Pachyptila
Feensturmvogel ( Pachyptila turtur )
The prions ( Pachyptila ), also known as "Duck petrels ", " Kingfishers " or "Fire Birds", are a genus of the family of the petrels ( Procellariidae ) that have their habitat in the Antarctic waters. With a body length of 25.4 -28cm and a wingspan of 40.7 to 45.7 cm, they are among the relatively small members of this family. They differ from the other petrels by their unobtrusive plumage and their beak and through their airports and food ways.
Features
Differences are the different species of this genus primarily on the basis of their beaks. Basically act beaks of species of this genus seen from above triangular: They are very wide at the base and running from beak pointed. All species have on the upper beak sheath lamellae, with which they can filter plankton from the water. The beak size varies considerably between species, indicating that each of the species differs in their food way. In flight, the individual species are hardly distinguishable from each other, as their plumage is similar. You are on top of all the pale blue -gray colored, while the shoulder edge, the scapulars and the outer primaries are black. Lower and lower wings are white, the tail is wedge-shaped and the beak bluish gray. The feet have a blue tint.
Way of life
They are often seen in flocks when they go flying in fast, zig- zag flights just above the water. Same very where males and females differ, the cries of the individual Walvogelarten strong in all types. Their way of life is very similar. They only come to the propagation time ashore and nest usually on lying far off the coasts of islands with dense grass or forest. My diet consists mainly of small fish and crustaceans, which they absorb from the water surface. So far it is not known exactly at what age they breed for the first time. Most species nest in self-dug Building. The nest consists of an egg. This has a smooth whitish shell surface. The egg is incubated for a period of six to seven weeks. The chicks fledge after seven to eight weeks.
Prions and human
As with numerous other seabirds baubrütenden the colonization of prions breeding islands has negatively affected by humans the existence of prions. Most important factors are threatening the existence of the introduction of rats, cats, pigs and other mammals that eat the eggs, boys and even adult birds.
Prions were occasionally arranged in the course of the 20th century as pests. Even in 1964 were allowed to be killed in the Falkland Islands Belcher - petrels after the Wild Animals and Birds Protection Ordinance at any time, because it could be assumed the birds that they would cause harm by digging their nests sheep pastures. In the Falkland Islands, where the Belcher 's Petrel was once very numerous, this species breeds only on seven small islands off the coast of the main islands.
Inside systematics
The genus includes the following six types:
- Big Duck Petrel ( Pachyptila vittata ). The type of beak is gefährt steel gray above and below bluish- yellow.
- Little ducks Petrel ( Pachyptila salvini ). Here, the beak is bluish- gray above and below.
- Dove Petrel ( Pachyptila desolata ), which, among other breeds on the Antarctic Peninsula and on Kerguelen and Heard on.
- Belcher 's Petrel, also thin -billed prions ( Pachyptila belcheri ). The Belcher 's Petrel is characterized by a long, very narrow beak.
- Feensturmvogel ( Pachyptila turtur )
- Thick-billed Petrel ( Pachyptila crassirostris ), which is different from the other prions by a thickened nozzle plate.