Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel

Scientific Name: Hydrobates monorhis
Malay Name: Lelayang-Laut Kelam Asia
Chinese Name: 黑叉尾海燕

Range:
Breeds on the offshore islands of temperate Northeast Pacific from eastern China to Korea and Japan, passaging through the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean to winter.

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 20 cm

Identification:
Small size, forked tail and overall sooty brown plumage with contrasting paler diagonal bar across upperwing-coverts.

Habitat: Open seas.

Behaviour/Ecology: Usually observed in small groups during migration, flying and gliding just above the water surface.

Local Status: Common passage migrant

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2018)

Location: Straits of Singapore.

Featured articles:

• Pelagic Bird Trip at the Singapore Strait – 20 September 2020 (Trip Reports)
• Pelagic Bird Survey at the Singapore Strait – 5 May 2018 (Trip Reports)
• Pelagic Bird Survey at the Singapore Strait – 15 October 2016 (Trip Reports)
• Migrant bar charts – Aug 28 update (Blog)

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait

Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel at Singapore Strait