Zino’s Petrel
Pterodroma madeira
Zino's Petrel is a rare visitor to British waters, typically seen in the Atlantic Ocean, and is most notable for its endemic status to the island of Madeira, where it can be spotted during breeding season. It is an extremely rare sighting in Britain, usually occurring as a result of storms or vagrancy.
Field Identification Guide
Use these features to identify Zino’s Petrel in the field.
The species can be identified by its grey back and wings with a distinctive dark "W" marking, as well as the blackish undersides of the wings with a white triangle at the front edge. Its grey upper tail and white belly with grey flanks are also key features.
Zino's Petrel is smaller than a Starling, with its long wings giving it a slender and agile appearance.
The male's plumage consists of a grey back and wings, white belly, and grey flanks, with a distinctive dark "W" marking across the wings, and there is no notable seasonal variation in its plumage.
The female's plumage is similar to the male's, with no distinguishable differences.
The call of Zino's Petrel is not well-documented, but it is likely to be a series of high-pitched chirps or whistles, similar to other petrel species.
Zino's Petrel is a pelagic species that feeds on small fish, squid, and crustaceans, and can be seen flying low over the water with its long wings beating rapidly, often in a zig-zag pattern.
Zino's Petrel can be confused with Fea's Petrel, but can be distinguished by its slightly smaller size and more pronounced dark "W" marking on the wings, although separating the two species at sea can be very challenging.
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