Petrels, Shearwaters, and Diving Petrels
Mascarene Petrel
Pseudobulweria aterrima
- Family
- Petrels, Shearwaters, and Diving Petrels (Procellariidae)
- Order
- Procellariiformes
Overview
The Mascarene petrel (Pseudobulweria aterrima) is a medium-sized, dark petrel.
Also sometimes known as the Mascarene black petrel, this species was known from four specimens found in the nineteenth century on the island of Réunion. Two birds were found dead in the 1970s, and there have been rare observations of birds in the waters south of Réunion since 1964. It is also known from subfossil remains from the island of Rodrigues.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds montane Réunion (Mascarenes); formerly also Rodrigues, where extirpated; ranges adjacent Indian Ocean to Seychelles, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Timor Sea (off western Australia).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Mascarene petrel
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
