The Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and is one of two species in the genus Bulweria (Bonaparte, 1843). This bird is named after the Scottish naturalist James Bulwer.


This very long-winged petrel is 25–29 cm in length with a 78–90 cm wingspan. It has mainly brown plumage and a long pointed tail. It has a buoyant twisting flight as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface.

Breeding and habitat

This seabird breeds in the north Atlantic in colonies on islands in the Cape Verde Islands, Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira groups.

Bulwer's Petrel also breeds on islands across the north Pacific from east of China to Hawaii. After breeding, birds disperse to spend the rest of the year at sea, mainly in tropical waters. This species has been recorded in Europe as a rare vagrant to Ireland, Great Britain, Portugal and the Netherlands. It has also appeared as a vagrant in North America, with rare sightings far off the coast of both California and North Carolina.


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