upperwing

upperwing underwing European distribution At rest on water

Identification

Leach's are bigger than Storm Petrels with longer, more pointed and distinctively angled wings and a longer, forked tail. Their flight is buoyant, bouncing with each wing beat, not unlike a Nightjar. They lack the white line under the wing but instead have a pale grey panel in the upperwing and a faint dark line through the white rump.

Habitat

Breeds on remote grassy islands, otherwise oceanic.

Migration

Winters at sea in the Tropics and in waters off South Africa. Birds return to their colonies in April-May, migrating south in September-November.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Leach's Storm-petrel is classed as Scarce: broadly speaking, species that are covered in British Birds' annual review of scarce species (and forms of similar rarity).

Unst, Shetland 15/08/2010	Unst, Shetland 15/08/2010	Unst, Shetland 16/08/2010	Unst, Shetland 16/08/2010	Whitburn Coastal Pk, Durham 11/07/2010
Severn Beach, Glos 25/11/2009	Hill Hd, Hants 29/11/2009	Hill Hd, Hants 29/11/2009	Hill Hd, Hants 29/11/2009	Keyhaven Marshes, Hants 29/11/2009

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Leach's Storm-petrel breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Britain
Faroe Islands
Iceland
Ireland
Norway

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	Storm-bringer: An unexpected wreck of Leach's Storm-petrels	Friday 22nd December 2006
	One of the main talking points of early December was the large numbers of 'wrecked' Leach's Storm-petrels along the west coast of England and Wales.
	How to see Leach's Storm-petrel off Britain and Ireland	Wednesday 13th September 2006
	Always highly sought after, connecting with Leach's Storm-petrels requires an eye on the weather and a suitable location. Find out where, and when, to see this superb seabird with our latest guide.
	The Leach's Petrel Influx of Early 2002	Tuesday 12th February 2002

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