Hydrobatidae, a scientific name of birds otherwise known as Storm petrels are characterized especially by a sole opening acting as their nose. Due to the fact that this family comprises of birds that are quite identical in colour and mass, they are not very easy to classify. Most species are dark, with a white tail end. The major known classifications of storm petrels are one with elongated and sharp wings and a pronged tail. The second one has shorter and relatively curved wings and extended legs. The first species is common in the Northern hemisphere, while the second one is common in the South.

Storm petrels are generally tiny birds. They are very rare birds since they spend their lives in the ocean while not reproducing. Even in the season of reproduction, storm petrels, they only go to land after dusk and leave before the sun rises. This has been seen as a tactic to evade potential air-borne predators. Hydrobatidae feed on small sea plants and animals which they gather from the top of the sea while they fly. Examples of the organisms storm petrels feed on include insects and mollusks.

They are so adept with water that they may be seen to walk on water. This has been explained by the fact that their feet are elongated into the water while they feed. Most species are known to follow ships for long distances, and they are known to take on among the longest migrations. One species is said to travel from the Antarctic to the subarctic areas and back within a year. Others have relatively small movements, or even none. While some storm petrels can move across the equator, others simply seem to move away from their breeding grounds, and not migrating as such.

Most species of storm petrels make their habitats in burrows which are usually very deep, and also in cracks on rocks. These habitats are often in isolated offshore islands. Their habitat has no nest, or in cases where there is, it is usually very basic and simple. Storm petrels lay only a single egg which is white in colour every reproduction season.

Hydrobatidae or storm petrels are quite clumsy on land, and several species usually exhibit difficulty standing on their two feet. As a result, when on land they have a habit of resting their two feet and the bone in the lower leg that connects to the toes on the ground. They depend on this posture to stand and to walk. In the air however, storm petrels are quite skillful. Some species have been noted performing complex air chases as part of their antics to woo mates for courtship.

Storm petrels are very noisy, particularly in the breeding season, and near the group. The noises they make are varied, depending on the type of communication they are making amongst themselves. Examples are noises when defending their nest and so on. The types of noises made vary between the different species of storm petrels.