Another special bird from our offshore pelagic trip on 23 May 2021. This one is a Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis).
Hawaiian Petrels, or 'Ua'u in Hawaiian, nest in burrows along the slopes of volcanoes in Hawaii. They spend most of their time in the tropics (below 20°), but after the breeding season, some disperse northward to higher latitudes when we have a chance to see them offshore.
The genus "Pterodroma" means "fast flyer" or "wings for racing," an appropriate name for this group of seabirds that seem to rocket by, arcing above and below the horizon. The photo above was taken by Dan Nelson, who managed a wonderful picture given the distance and speed of this bird. I didn't get a close-up, but here's one I like, showing a Hawaiian Petrel in its open ocean habitat:
P.S. Many thanks to Dan for sharing his wonderful photo!
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