Birdfinding.info ⇒ Globally the most numerous of the Pterodroma petrels, it is especially common in offshore waters and islands of the Tasman Sea. Otherwise widespread, but thinly distributed, across most of the tropical and subtropical Pacific, and apparently at least sporadic in parts of the Indian Ocean. Readily found around Lord Howe, Norfolk, and the Kermadec Islands, and in the Hauraki Gulf east of Auckland, New Zealand. It can also be seen on pelagic trips in eastern Australia, such as the ones out of Southport, Kiama, and Sydney. Regular throughout Hawaiian waters from May to December, especially in September and October, and is often seen on pelagic trips out of Kailua-Kona and Honolulu, and west of Kauai in the Kaulakahi Channel.
Black-winged Petrel
Pterodroma nigripennis
Breeds on islands of the Tasman and Coral Seas and east across Polynesia. Disperses across the tropical and subtropical Pacific.
Breeding. Breeds colonially from October to May, nesting in burrows on various islands over a wide swath of the South Pacific: on the Kermadecs, Lord Howe, Norfolk, and islets along the northeastern coast of North Island, New Zealand (Three Kings, Motuopao, Matapia, Simmonds, Motukokako, Burgess, East and Portland Islands).
The majority of the global population breeds on New Zealand’s Kermadec Islands: approximately 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 pairs on Macauley Island and 300,000 on Curtis Island.
Also breeds sparingly north to islets of New Caledonia, southeast to the Chathams (Rangatira and Mangere Islands), and northeast to Rapa.
In the 2010s it was confirmed nesting at two sites far from its previously known breeding areas: Easter Island in the southeastern Pacific, and Round Island (Mauritius) in the Indian Ocean.
Nonbreeding. From May to November, most of the population disperses widely north and east across the Pacific: essentially throughout Micronesia and Polynesia, north to the Philippine Sea, Ogasawara Islands, and Hawaii, and east to the distant offshore waters of Mexico and Ecuador. A small portion of the population apparently remains at sea year-round.
Identification
A small gadfly petrel with mostly gray upperparts, white underparts, and boldly patterned black-and-white underwings.
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; October 22, 2017.) © Sharif Uddin
On the upperparts, the wings are mostly blackish and the body is mostly pale-gray with a blackish band across the lower back, a pale-gray rump, and a blackish tail. Under some condition—mostly dependent on feather-wear and lighting—some combination of the secondaries, inner primaries, and adjacent covert panels appear pale, which can produce a distinct “M” pattern across the back (but less often and generally less distinctly than several closely related species).
The head is mostly pale with dark shadows around the eyes. The gray of the head typically extends down the sides of the neck as a half-collar or cowl. In some cases, this extends farther down, forming a full collar.
Black-winged Petrel. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel, showing predominantly blackish wings. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel. (Norfolk Island, Australia; November 2016.) © Lindsay Hansch
Black-winged Petrel, showing typically blackish wings. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel, showing predominantly blackish wings. (Ball’s Pyramid, Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 19, 2018.) © Liam Murphy
Black-winged Petrel, showing predominantly blackish wings. (Phillip Island, Norfolk Island, Australia; April 2012.) © Philip Griffin
Black-winged Petrel, showing predominantly blackish wings. (Macauley Island, Kermadec Islands; April 8, 2014.) © Lisle Gwynn
Black-winged Petrel, showing a distinct “M” pattern on its upperparts. (Phillip Island, Norfolk Island, Australia; April 2012.) © Philip Griffin
Black-winged Petrel, showing a distinct “M” pattern on its upperparts. (Offshore from Moku Manu, Oahu, Hawaii; September 22, 2010.) © Eric VanderWerf
Black-winged Petrel, showing essentially patternless upperparts and an unusually dark collar. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Southport, Queensland, Australia; January 12, 2019.) © Gus Daly
Black-winged Petrel. (Captain Cook Memorial, Norfolk Island, Australia; February 20, 2018.) © Irena Earl
Black-winged Petrel. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; January 2010.) © Rob Hynson
Black-winged Petrel, showing paler wings with more contrast than usual in this view. (Ned’s Beach, Lord Howe Island, Australia; November 2014.) © B. Hensen
Black-winged Petrel, showing pale-gray secondary panels on predominantly blackish wings. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; November 4, 2015.) © Annie B. Douglas / Cascadia Research Collective
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; November 27, 2004.) © Robin Baird / Cascadia Research Collective
Black-winged Petrel. (Phillip Island, Norfolk Island, Australia; January 2017.) © Imogen Warren
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Makaha, Oahu, Hawaii; October 13, 2019.) © Laura Keene
Black-winged Petrel, showing an abnormally bold “M” pattern on it s upperparts. (Offshore west of Tahiti, French Polynesia; May 14, 2018.) © mikeggg
The underwings are about half-black and half-white, with a thick black carpal bar on the leading edge, a thinner black trailing edge, a black tip, and a broad white central stripe.
Black-winged Petrel. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 14, 2020.) © David Irving
Black-winged Petrel. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 14, 2020.) © David Irving
Black-winged Petrel. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Toy Janssen
Black-winged Petrel. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 14, 2020.) © David Irving
Black-winged Petrel. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel. (Ned’s Beach, Lord Howe Island, Australia; February 2017.) © Mark Lethlean
Black-winged Petrel, showing a nearly full collar. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; January 2010.) © Rob Hynson
Black-winged Petrel. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel. (Southwestern Pacific Ocean northeast of North Island, New Zealand; March 17, 2019.) © Hiroyuki & Shoko Tanoi
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore east of the Ogasawara Islands, Japan; August 2, 2019.) © Yann Muzika
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Moku Manu, Oahu, Hawaii; September 22, 2010.) © Eric VanderWerf
Black-winged Petrel, showing characteristic underwing pattern and pale-gray cowl. (Ned’s Beach, Lord Howe Island, Australia; November 2014.) © B. Hensen
Black-winged Petrel. (Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands; April 3, 2016.) © Katy Johns
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Concepción, Chile; April 17, 2014.) © Steve Copsey
Black-winged Petrel. (Macauley Island, Kermadec Islands; April 8, 2014.) © Lisle Gwynn
Black-winged Petrel, showing characteristic underwing pattern and pale-gray cowl. (Ned’s Beach, Lord Howe Island, Australia; November 2014.) © B. Hensen
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Southport, Queensland, Australia; December 17, 2011.) © Steve Murray
Black-winged Petrel. (Tasman Sea south of Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 31, 2019.) © Mike Farnworth
Black-winged Petrel. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; January 10, 2020.) © Mike Farnworth
Black-winged Petrel, pair—note white outer feathers on spread tail. (At sea south of Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 31, 2019.) © Mike Farnworth
Black-winged Petrel. (Norfolk Island, Australia; December 1, 2015.) © David and Kathy Cook
Black-winged Petrel. (Phillip Island, Norfolk Island, Australia; April 2012.) © Philip Griffin
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; September 17, 2017.) © Brian Sullivan
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Hunga Tonga, Ha’apai, Tonga; February 12, 2020.) © Mike Pennington
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; October 13, 2019.) © Reginald David
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Southport, Queensland, Australia; February 20, 2010.) © Tom Tarrant
Black-winged Petrel. (Hauraki Gulf offshore from North Island, New Zealand; January 11, 2017.) © Hans Verdaat
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; October 27, 2009.) © Daniel L. Webster / Cascadia Research Collective
Black-winged Petrel, showing a dark, smudgy cowl. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; March 1, 2015.) © David King
Black-winged Petrel, showing an atypically full gray collar. (Ned’s Beach, Lord Howe Island, Australia; November 21, 2016.) © Louise Summerhayes
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; December 13, 2008.) © Daniel L. Webster / Cascadia Research Collective
Black-winged Petrel. (Admiralty Islands, Lord Howe Island, Australia; January 30, 2020.) © Peter Johnson
Black-winged Petrel. (Ned’s Beach, Lord Howe Island, Australia; December 15, 2011.) © Mat Gilfedder
Black-winged Petrel. (Offshore from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii; November 16, 2014.) © Daniel L. Webster / Cascadia Research Collective
Black-winged Petrel. (Kauai, Hawaii; November 25, 2011.) © Jim Denny
Black-winged Petrel. (Captain Cook Memorial, Norfolk Island, Australia; January 13, 2013.) © Imogen Warren
Black-winged Petrel. (Norfolk Island, Australia; February 7, 2018.) © Ian McMahon
Black-winged Petrel. (Admiralty Islands, Lord Howe Island, Australia; January 30, 2020.) © Peter Johnson
Black-winged Petrel at burrow. (Curtis Island, Kermadec Islands; May 1982.) © Colin Miskelly
Black-winged Petrel. (At sea south of the Big Island, Hawaii; June 8, 2013.) © Michael Schrimpf
Black-winged Petrel. (Phillip Island, Norfolk Island, Australia; November 22, 2017.) © John Harris – Wildlife Experiences
Black-winged Petrel. (Curtis Island, Kermadec Islands; November 1989.) © Graeme Taylor
Black-winged Petrel. (Lord Howe Island, Australia; March 10, 2012.) © Nige Hartley
Black-winged Petrel. (Phillip Island, Norfolk Island, Australia; January 2017.) © Imogen Warren
Black-winged Petrel, close view of head and neck coloration. (Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands.) © Gareth Rapley
Black-winged Petrel, close view of head and neck coloration. (Offshore from Lisianski Atoll; February 3, 2001.) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Cf. Chatham Petrel. Black-winged and Chatham Petrels are closely related species that overlap widely: both breed on the Chatham Islands and disperse widely across the South Pacific. Black-winged is far more numerous and widespread, and apparently occurs throughout Chatham’s range. They have mostly similar upperparts but differ dramatically on the underparts: Chatham has a unique pattern of extensive black across the base of the underwings where Black-winged is (contrary to its name) white. The upperparts differ less noticeably: Chatham has a fairly typical “M” pattern, whereas Black-winged usually shows (true to its name) mostly blackish upperwings.
Cf. Bonin Petrel. Bonin and Black-winged Petrels are similar overall and overlap widely in the central North Pacific. The most striking difference is in their underwing patterns. Bonin has mostly dark primary coverts with one white row, which creates an unusual impression, whereas Black-winged has a less distinctive pattern: blackish leading and trailing edges with a white central stripe. Black-winged also lacks Bonin’s extensive dark-gray cowl, and instead has a pale-gray head and throat collar.
Cf. Collared Petrel. Black-winged and Collared Petrels overlap widely across most of the tropical zone of the central Pacific. Collared is variable, including a spectrum of lighter and darker morphs. The lighter morphs are easily confused with Black-winged because they have essentially the same underwing pattern: blackish leading and trailing edges with a white central stripe. The upperwings can also appear similar, although Collared’s are typically paler, less blackish. The key differences are on the head and neck: Black-winged has a pale-gray head and cowl with blackish eye-shadows, whereas Collared is generally darker gray over most of the head and neck.
Cf. Soft-plumaged Petrel. Soft-plumaged and Black-winged Petrels overlap across a wide swath of the South Pacific and potentially also in the Indian Ocean, and could easily be mistaken for one another under some conditions. The most consistent difference between them is the underwing pattern: mostly dark on Soft-plumaged versus bold black and white stripes on Black-winged. Soft-plumaged typically has a full gray collar and white throat, whereas Black-winged usually has only a partial collar or cowl, but it sometimes shows a full collar. The upperparts of the two species are extremely similar—the only consistent difference is that Black-winged usually has a mostly blackish tail.
Notes
Monotypic species.
References
BirdLife International. 2018. Pterodroma nigripennis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22697954A132614122. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697954A132614122.en. (Accessed January 13, 2021.)
Brazil, M. 2009. Birds of East Asia. Princeton University Press.
eBird. 2021. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, N.Y. http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed January 13, 2021.)
Harrison, P. 1983. Seabirds: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.
Howell, S.N.G. 2012. Petrels, Albatrosses & Storm-Petrels of North America. Princeton University Press.
Howell, S.N.G., and K. Zufelt. 2019. Oceanic Birds of the World. Princeton University Press.
Pratt, H.D., P.L. Bruner, and D.G. Berrett. 1987. A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press.
Pyle, R.L., and P. Pyle. 2017. The Birds of the Hawaiian Islands: Occurrence, History, Distribution, and Status. Version 2 (January 1, 2017). http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/birds/rlp-monograph/. B.P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Seabirding of Japan. 2021. Black-winged Petrel. http://seabirding-japan.com/black-winged-petrel/. (Accessed January 10, 2021.)
Taylor, G.A. 2019. Black-winged petrel. In New Zealand Birds Online (Miskelly, C.M., ed.). http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/black-winged-petrel. (Accessed January 14, 2021.)
Xeno-Canto. 2021. Black-winged Petrel – Pterodroma nigripennis. https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pterodroma-nigripennis. (Accessed January 13, 2021.)