Vik's Gallery:   Grey-backed Storm-Petrel (1/3)

PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae

Garrodia nereis  

When I first heard of storm-petrels, I imagined rugged birds the size of gannets and albatrosses.

I was amazed to find that storm-petrels are actually tiny birds, not much larger than sparrows, and feed on the surface of the ocean many miles from shore.

They flutter and dance over the surface, picking food from the surface and occasionally submerging to take something below the surface.