Leach's Storm-Petrel Similar Species Comparison

A small seabird with long, angular wings, a strongly notched tail, and a broad pale “carpal bar” making a diagonal line across the wing and contrasting with brownish upperparts. Most populations have a white rump with a dark line running through the middle, though this line can be difficult to notice at distance.

In flight, note long, angled wings with a pale carpal bar running diagonally from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

A medium-sized storm-petrel with a distinctive bouncy, erratic flight. Note also the pale carpal bar, white rump (with dark dividing line just visible at times in this video), and notched tail.

The dark-rumped “Chapman’s” subspecies group breeds only on a few islands off the coast of Baja California and ranges north to waters off the California coast. Note the long, angled wings, pale carpal bar, and notched tail.

Normally occurs over deep ocean waters far from land. Forages by hovering and then picking individual prey items (fish and crustaceans) from the water surface.

Often best detected and identified at sea by erratic, bounding flight style, which is reminiscent of a Common Nighthawk.

(with Wilson's Storm-Petrel)

Often forages alone or in small groups but also joins flocks of other storm-petrel species, including Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel.