How Do You Identify A Petrel Bird?
Petrel is the common name used to refer to multiple species of birds in the order Procellariiformes. The name petrel was not given scientifically, making it a challenge to identify these birds. Not all members of the order Procellariiformes are petrels. Petrels are members of three different families. Follow the steps below to learn how to identify a member of Procellariiformes in order to narrow down your search for petrels. Check the beak for a grooved separation between the top and bottom. Salt concentrated in the eye gland flows, similar in appearance to a tear, down the groove as a form of waste removal. Also look at the beak for raised, tube-shaped nostrils. Smell the air to see if you can recognize the scent of stomach oil, which these birds rub onto themselves. It has a distinct, unpleasant odor. Procellariiformes can spray stomach oil if they feel threatened. Look for drab coloration with black, brown, gray or white feathers. These are typical markings of a petrel bird. Identi
