Petrels, Shearwaters, and Diving Petrels
Murphy’s Petrel
Pterodroma ultima
- Family
- Petrels, Shearwaters, and Diving Petrels (Procellariidae)
- Order
- Procellariiformes
Overview
Murphy's petrel (Pterodroma ultima) is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 38–41 cm length, with a 97 cm wingspan, and weighs about 360 g. Its plumage is all dark sooty-grey, except for a pale chin, and pinkish legs; it does not exhibit sexual dimorphism. It was described by Robert Cushman Murphy in 1949, which is the source of the species' common name.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds eastern Polynesian islands of Tuamotu, Gambier, Austral, Pitcairn, Easter, and Salas y Gomez; ranges to south of Aleution Islands, Gulf of Alaska, and northeastern Pacific coast.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Murphy's 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.
