Kerguelen petrel
A pelagic, circumpolar seabird of the Southern Ocean.
The Kerguelen petrel (Aphrodroma brevirostris) is a 36 cm long seabird with slate-grey plumage, belonging to the family Procellariidae. It is the sole member of the genus Aphrodroma. This pelagic bird lives a circumpolar existence in the Southern Ocean, and it nests on islands in the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans. French naturalist René Lesson first described it in 1831, originally placing it in the genus Procellaria. Over time, it was moved to the gadfly petrel genus Pterodroma and later to the monotypic genus Lugensa, before being given its own genus, Aphrodroma, by Storrs L. Olson in 2000. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek *aphros* (“sea foam”) and *-dromos* (“-racer”), while the species name *brevirostris* comes from Latin *brevis* (“short”) and *-rostris* (“-billed”). No subspecies are recognized. The species breeds in colonies on remote islands, including Gough Island in the Atlantic, and Marion Island, Prince Edward Island, the Crozet Islands, and Kerguelen Island in the Indian Ocean. It visits its colonies only at night, nesting in burrows dug in wet soil, with entrances typically facing away from the prevailing wind. Each breeding season, a single unusually round egg is laid. Both parents share incubation duties for 49 days, and the chick fledges 60 days after hatching.
- length
- 36 cm
- family
- Procellariidae
- genus
- Aphrodroma (monotypic)
- breeding range
- Gough Island, Marion Island, Prince Edward Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Island
- egg incubation
- 49 days
- fledging period
- 60 days
- clutch size
- 1 egg
Lore & Background
The Kerguelen petrel was formally described in 1831 by the French naturalist René Lesson, who placed it in the genus Procellaria. It was later included with the gadfly petrels in the genus Pterodroma and subsequently in the monotypic genus Lugensa, but is now placed in the genus Aphrodroma, introduced by Storrs L. Olson in 2000. The name Aphrodroma combines the Ancient Greek aphros meaning 'sea foam' with -dromos meaning '-racer', while the specific epithet brevirostris is from Latin brevis meaning 'short' and -rostris meaning '-billed'.
Reader's Guide
The Kerguelen petrel is significant as the sole member of the genus Aphrodroma, reflecting taxonomic revisions that distinguish it from related petrel groups. Its breeding biology is notable: it nests colonially on remote islands, attending colonies nocturnally and laying a single unusually round egg per season. Both parents incubate the egg for 49 days, and the chick fledges after 60 days. The species' circumpolar pelagic range and restricted breeding sites on islands such as Gough, Marion, Prince Edward, Crozet, and Kerguelen highlight its adaptation to the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Its conservation status is not addressed in the source, but its dependence on isolated islands makes it vulnerable to environmental changes.
Did You Know?
- The Kerguelen petrel is the only species placed in the genus Aphrodroma.
- Its egg is unusually round for the family Procellariidae.
- The species breeds colonially on remote islands in the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
- The specific epithet brevirostris means 'short-billed' in Latin.
More in Birds of subantarctic islands 1-24
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