Bulwer’s Petrel

Bulwer’s Petrel
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Bulweria bulwerii

Malay Name: Tekukur-Laut Biasa

Chinese Name: 褐燕鹱

Range: Breeds on small islands in the northern Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. The Pacific population disperses southwards outside the breeding season, reaching the tropical waters of Indian Ocean and adjacent seas.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 26-27cm

Identification: Resembles Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel but larger, with longer wings and distinctive long, graduated tail. Can be distinguished from similar looking Short-tailed Shearwater from its smaller size and the pale diagonal band across its upperwing-coverts.

Similar looking species: Short-tailed Shearwater, Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Habitat: Open seas

Behaviour/Ecology: Flight buoyant and usually close to the water surface.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Peak weeks Apr 23-Apr 29, Apr 30-May 06, Nov 12-Nov 18
Early date 12 Nov 2016
Late date 06 May 2017
Another recent addition to the Singapore checklist, with the first confirmed record in 2016.
Bulwer’s Petrel at Madeira. Photo credit: John Oates
Bulwer’s Petrel at Madeira. Photo credit: John Oates

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Bulwer's Petrel)

References:

BirdLife International. (2018). Bulweria bulwerii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698132A132627626.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Bulwer's Petrel. Retrieved on June 10, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/bulwers-petrel.

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