WILSON'S PETREL 



3. Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl) 

 Wilson's Petrel 



Sexes alike. Length about 173 mm. (6.80 

 in.); tail about 63 mm. (2.50 in.). General 

 color dark sooty brown, paler below, pale gray 

 on wing coverts, black on wings and tail; upper 

 tail coverts and sides of rump white; under tail 

 coverts mixed with whitish. Bill and feet black, 

 the webs between the toes with a large yellow 

 area. Legs long; tail slightly rounded. 



Widely distributed on both the Atlantic and 

 Pacific Oceans and probably the commonest and 

 best known of the small Stormy Petrels or Mother 

 Gary's Chickens. It breeds on the antarctic 

 islands. Its flight is irregular, a swallow-like 

 fluttering alternating with short glides. 



10. Family ILEMATOPODIDjE 

 The Oyster Catchers 



A family consisting of a single genus of 

 large, stout-bodied shore birds having the 

 legs and neck of moderate length and the bill 

 rather long, straight and compressed, ending 

 squarely in a vertical, chisel-like edge. The 

 few species are distributed over most regions 

 of the world. 



i. Haematopus palliatus palliatus Temminck 

 American Oyster Catcher 



Male. Length, 432 mm. (17.00 in.); tail, 

 98 mm. (3.85 in.). Head, neck and upper 

 53 



