Phoenix petrel (Pterodroma alba), a rare tropical seabird native to the Pacific Ocean, shown in flight, resting, and nesting.
Four postage stamps issued by the Pitcairn Islands in 2016 in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The Phoenix petrel (Pterodroma alba) is a rare and little-known seabird of the tropical Pacific. It is a medium-sized petrel, reaching about 35 cm in length with an 83 cm wingspan. Its upperparts are dark greyish-brown, contrasting with a white throat, lower breast, belly and undertail. The bill is black and the legs are pink.
The species occurs across the central Pacific, with breeding colonies recorded or suspected on the Line and Phoenix Islands, Tonga, Kiritimati (Christmas Island), the Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands, and Oeno in the Pitcairn Islands. A 1998–99 survey of Oeno recorded an estimated 10–20 pairs (Bell & Bell 1998; B. Bell, pers. comm. 1999).
Unlike many petrels, the Phoenix petrel nests in shallow scrapes on the ground rather than in burrows, possibly because its island breeding sites lack aerial predators such as skuas, hawks, falcons and owls. It feeds mainly on squid, supplemented by fish and crustaceans, spending most of its life at sea. Breeding is not tied to a fixed season; both parents incubate the single white egg and share care of the chick.
The global population is poorly known but may number only around 10,000 breeding pairs. Habitat loss, predation by invasive species, particularly rats on Kiritimati, and human exploitation have contributed to its decline. The Phoenix petrel is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
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