Fairy Prion
Photo · Charles Joseph Hullmandel

BirdUp · Species

Fairy Prion

Pachyptila turtur(Kuhl, 1820)

Also known asTiti Wainui

Least ConcernNative
Order
PROCELLARIIFORMES
Conservation
Least Concern
Commonness
Very common
Best seen
Year-round

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

The fairy prion is a small seabird with the standard prion plumage of blue-grey upperparts with a prominent dark "M" marking and white underneath. The sexes are alike. It is a small prion which frequents the low subantarctic and subtropic seas.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

02 · Where

Where to find it

Breeding range
Southern oceans: Bass Strait islands (east.g. Albatross Is, Lady Julia Percy Is) and Macquarie Is; also Falklands to New Zealand islands.
Non-breeding range
Widespread in southern oceans north to roughly 35° south; often found in Australian coastal waters including the Great Australian Bight and East Australian Current.

03 · When

When to look

Months this species is recorded across its Australian range.

  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

The BirdUp app

Log your next Fairy Prion in the field

A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.