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PLATE 7: STORM PETRELS
Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus SV
L: 18. W: 40. Most numerous storm petrel in the region. Identified in flight by bold white rump
extending onto sides of uppertail-coverts, and legs protruding beyond square-ended tail.
Fairly conspicuous panel on the upperwing-coverts, with underwing wholly dark. Webs of feet
yellowish, sometimes seen on pattering bird. Flight fluttering with series of flaps interspersed with
short glides. Will follow ships, unlike most storm petrels. Habitat Maritime. Note Regular summer
visitor in hatched area, from Southern Ocean; rare in The Gulf, vagrant Red Sea to Gulf of Aqaba.Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma monorhis sv
L: 20. W: 45. All-dark storm petrel, including rump. Deeply forked tail. Larger than Wilson’s Storm
Petrel. Pale bar across upperwing-coverts not always obvious. Very similar to Matsudaira’s Storm
Petrel and separated from that species by longer but narrower white shafts to base of outer
primaries on upperwing. Flight bouncing and Black Tern-like. Habitat Maritime. Note Rare summer
visitor to Oman and UAE from Japan.Matsudaira’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma matsudairae sv
L: 24. W: 56. All-dark storm petrel, larger than but very similar to Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel, but
separated by white patch at the base of the outer primaries on the upperwing. This patch can
be visible from quite a distance, but may be weak or even lacking in some individuals, making
identification difficult. Swinhoe’s usually shows separate, narrow, long white shafts to outer
primaries, not a solid white patch. Flight similar to Swinhoe’s. Habitat Maritime. Note Rare summer
visitor to Oman and UAE from Japan.White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina V
L: 20. W: 45. Dark above with white underparts, underwing-coverts, forehead and cheeks, with
dark patch through eye. Brownish-grey upperwing-coverts contrast with blackish flight feathers and
grey rump; forked tail blackish. Long legs (occasionally dangled) project distinctly beyond the
tail. Strong and erratic, banking flight; often ‘bounces’ off sea in ‘yo-yo’ fashion. Habitat Maritime.
Note Vagrant Oman, Yemen; probably regular in Arabian Sea in summer, presumably from Australasia.Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica V
L: 20. W: 45. Small, square-tailed sooty petrel with white underwing-coverts and underbody, with
an inconspicuous black line from breast to vent; feet project slightly beyond tail. Upperwing-
coverts show obscure pale band. Erratic zigzagging flight; often dangles feet and uses them to
‘bounce’ on water. Easily confused with White-bellied Storm Petrel (not yet recorded in Oman).
Habitat Maritime. Note Vagrant Oman, Yemen; probably regular in Arabian Sea in summer, from
Southern Ocean.