Wilson's Storm Petrel is a small seabird with long legs and a white rump patch. It breeds around Antarctica and travels widely over the oceans.
It has a dark body and a white rump patch. In flight, its long legs project beyond the tail.
Researchers studied Wilson’s Storm Petrel burrows on King George Island, maritime Antarctica, during the 2017 and 2018 breeding seasons. It is the smallest endotherm that breeds in Antarctica and lays one egg per year. In 2018, loggers in 51 occupied nests recorded a mean nest temperature of 3.30°C, about 0.89°C warmer than the outside air.
Smaller entrances, lower ceilings, and nest insulation were associated with warmer burrow conditions. East-facing entrances were less likely to be blocked by snow, and eastern nest orientation was associated with higher hatching success and chick survival. In a separate experiment, researchers warmed the floors of 47 burrows and compared how quickly they cooled. Nest temperature varied with both weather and burrow characteristics.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The authors note that projected increases in Antarctic snowfall could make snow blocking more important for breeding. Nest orientation and entrance shape affect both the risk of blockage and the burrow’s thermal conditions.