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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Procellariidae
  4. ›
  5. Pelecanoides
  6. ›
  7. Common Diving Petrel
Common Diving Petrel
Photo · John Gould

BirdUp · Species

Common Diving Petrel

Pelecanoides urinatrix(Gmelin, JF, 1789)

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PROCELLARIIFORMES
Family
Procellariidae
Genus
Pelecanoides

At a glance

The Common Diving Petrel is a medium-sized bird, about 20–25 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
20–25 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Common Diving Petrel look like?

The Common Diving Petrel is a medium-sized bird, about 20–25 cm long and weighing 100–185 g.

The common diving petrel , also known as the smaller diving petrel or simply the diving petrel, is a diving petrel, one of four very similar auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans. It is native to South Atlantic islands and islands of the subantarctic southern Indian Ocean, islands and islets off New Zealand and south-eastern Australian islands.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
20–25 cm
Weight
100–185 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Common Diving Petrel?

The Common Diving Petrel is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Common Diving Petrel eat?

The Common Diving Petrel feeds on fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Common Diving Petrel live in Australia?

The Common Diving Petrel is native to Australia, recorded across 24 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingIslands of subtropical to subantarctic Atlantic, Indian and south-west Pacific

Non-breedingTemperate and subantarctic southern oceans around south South America and to south-east of New Zealand region

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Breeding
  • Resident
  • Non-breeding
  • Vagrant

8 regions recorded