What is a seabird that may be stormy?

Seabirds are birds that live most or all of their lives on or near the ocean. Many seabirds, such as albatrosses and petrels, are known for their association with storms. The word “petrel” is even derived from St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, referring to the bird’s habit of appearing to “walk on water” as it feeds on the ocean surface in rough weather. So in answer to the question “What is a seabird that may be stormy?”, there are several candidates that come to mind.

Albatrosses

Albatrosses are large seabirds in the family Diomedeidae. With wingspans up to 11 feet, albatrosses are masters of soaring flight and are found across the southern oceans near Antarctica. Albatrosses are sometimes referred to as “storm petrels” due to their tendency to follow ships and feed in stormy weather in the harsh southern latitudes. Some key facts about stormy albatrosses:

• The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, up to 11 feet across.
• Albatrosses use dynamic soaring to fly efficiently across huge distances over the ocean.
• They use their keen sense of smell to detect food, especially squid, from many miles away.
• Breeding albatrosses nest on remote subantarctic islands like South Georgia.
• Threats to albatrosses include longline fishing, pollution, and introduced predators at nesting colonies.

With their large size, instinct for storms, and legendary flight capabilities, albatrosses are definitely a seabird that can be considered stormy.

Shearwaters

Within the family Procellariidae, the shearwaters and petrels are medium-sized seabirds known for their association with wind and waves. There are over 30 species of shearwater worldwide, including the sooty shearwater, streaked shearwater, pink-footed shearwater, flesh-footed shearwater, and wedge-tailed shearwater. Here are some key facts about stormy shearwaters:

• Shearwaters undertake enormous migrations, like the sooty shearwater that flies from New Zealand/Australia all the way to the North Atlantic.
• They are called “shearwaters” because they glide and “shear” through waves on stiff wings.
• Shearwaters use a feeding strategy called hydroplaning – skimming over the water surface while dipping their bill to feed.
• Breeding colonies are on remote islands across the southern hemisphere.
• Some species like the streaked shearwater are Critically Endangered due to predation and habitat loss.

For riding the waves through storms like champs, shearwaters are a definite seabird option when it comes to being stormy.

Fulmars

Fulmars are tube-nosed seabirds in the genus Fulmarus and family Procellariidae. There are several species found across northern oceans and coastal regions, such as the northern fulmar, southern fulmar, Cape petrel, and Antarctic petrel. Some key stormy features of fulmars include:

• Fulmars are supremely adapted to fly and live in cold, icy conditions around Antarctica and the Arctic.
• Their tube-noses help remove salt from their systems when drinking seawater.
• Fulmars have a distinctive way of gliding low over waves and making stiff-winged turns.
• They feed on fish, squid, crustaceans, and carrion scavenged from the ocean surface.
• Fulmars have a stomach oil defense mechanism that they projectile vomit on predators.

Feeling right at home cruising through the most violent polar storms, fulmars are a textbook stormy seabird.

Petrels

Petrels comprise the family Procellariidae, distinguished from shearwaters by their smaller size, more slender bills, and tendency to forage while flying over the ocean. Some well-known petrels that earn the title of stormy seabird include:

• The Cape petrel – A species that dominates the southern oceans near Antarctica.
• Leach’s storm petrel – A highly migratory Northern Hemisphere species.
• Swinhoe’s storm petrel – Named after a British diplomat who studied the birds of China.
• Wilson’s storm petrel – The world’s smallest seabird and a supremely agile flyer.
• Fork-tailed storm petrel – Features a unique forked tail and feeds by pattering on the water.

With “storm” right there in the name of many species, petrels are inherently linked with tumultuous weather at sea. Their small size allows them to flutter right through storms with ease.

skuas

Skuas and jaegers comprise the bird family Stercorariidae. Found across northern and southern regions, these predatory seabirds feature dark coloration and long pointed wings for high speed flight. Some of the stormiest skuas include:

• The great skua – A large bullying species that chases other seabirds to steal their catch.
• The South Polar skua – Specialized for life in the harsh Antarctic climate.
• The long-tailed jaeger – Known for harassing other birds for food during migration.
• The pomarine jaeger – Brave enough to winter at sea, even far north into the pack ice.

With their bold, bullying ways on breeding colonies and willingness to overwinter far out to sea, skuas and jaegers are a good candidate for the stormiest seabirds.

Gulls

Gulls are a common sight along coastlines and at sea in most of the world. These noisy, opportunistic birds in the family Laridae are a good choice when it comes to being a stormy seabird. Some of the gull species most associated with tumultuous weather include:

• The herring gull – A cold-loving species at home in the northern latitudes.
• The kelp gull – Found near Antarctica hunting penguins and cormorants.
• The laughing gull – Known for its raucous call heard during coastal storms.
• The ivory gull – An all-white gull specialized for life in the high Arctic.
• The black-legged kittiwake – Named for its evocative cry during harsh weather.

With their adaptable diets and tendency to hang out in ports, harbors, and along the open coast, various gull species are a dependable presence both during and after ocean storms.

Terns

Terns belong to the seabird family Laridae along with gulls. These elegant, streamlined birds are supreme fishers, plunge diving for prey in coastal areas worldwide. Some examples of supremely stormy tern species include:

• The Arctic tern – Famous for its endless migration spanning the globe from pole to pole each year.
• The roseate tern – Regional populations disrupted by major hurricanes and storms.
• The sooty tern – Renowned for diving into huge ocean waves to feed.
• The bridled tern – Concentrated nesting colonies on tropical islands regularly battered by storms.
• The black tern – Often nests and feeds in flooded marshes and muddy lagoons.

Whether migrating through cyclones and hurricanes or hunting in storm surges along shore, various terns are right at home battling rainy, windy conditions.

Other Stormy Seabirds

Beyond the major groups already discussed, there are a few other seabirds that have strong cases for being considered supremely stormy:

• The short-tailed albatross – Hunts squid in violent North Pacific storms.
• The magnificent frigatebird – Plunders food from other seabirds amidst tropical rainstorms.
• The European shag – Catches fish while battling rough, frigid waves along rocky coasts.
• The horned puffin – Forages near Alaska during fierce winter Bering Sea storms.
• The little auk – Seeks schooling fish amidst the crashing waves of the northernmost Atlantic.

Conclusion

In summary, there are a wide variety of seabirds well adapted to riding storms and foraging in tumultuous seas. The major groups covered include albatrosses, shearwaters, fulmars, petrels, skuas, gulls, and terns. These birds share common traits like being strong fliers, having water-resistant feathers, and instinctual comfort hunting even in the most violent storms at sea. So any of these seabirds make a good choice when identifying the stormiest birds of the oceans. They live quite literally where the wind meets the waves.