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She had gone missing for more than 150 years during which time she was thought extinct, only to be rediscovered in 2003 The scientific classification term Procellariiformes refers to an order of remarkable seabirds that constitute four distinct families. These families include:
The order was formerly referred to as Tubinares and even to today they are still referred to as tubenoses in English. In common language, the four families are collectively called petrels, a common term that has now been applied as referent to all Procellariiformes except the amazing sea kings, albatrosses. Feeding Habits The Procellariiformes are exclusively pelagic, meaning that they feed solely in the open ocean. They feed on fish, crustaceans, crabs and carcasses of bigger marine creatures. Habitat The Procellariiformes have a very cosmopolitan distribution in all the oceans of the world and in most seas across the globe. Their highest biodiversity is however in and around New Zealand. Procellariiformes are very colonial such that they patriotically hold on to one habitat for extended periods and sometimes for lifetimes. They mostly nest on particular remote islands, which are predator-free. The large species of the Procellariiformes usually nests on the land surface while the small species build their nests in the natural cavities and or burrows along the coastal lines of such islands. Breeding Procellariiformes exhibit very strong philopatry such that they always return to their natal colonies every breeding season and to the very same nesting island they came from once breeding is over. This pattern is repeated over and over again through the years. Again, Procellariiformes are very monogamous in their coupling such that they keep long-term mates (usually lasts for a lifetime). They form strict pair bonds with a courtship that last several years and if successful, the bond lasts for the entire life of that pair. In every annual nesting attempt, Procellariiformes only lay a single egg. Only the albatrosses nests only once in two years. For all the species of the Procellariiformes order, both the parents aptly participate in the incubation of the egg and the rearing of the chick. Despite laying a single egg in a year, their incubation period and the chick rearing durations are overly long as compared to most birds. Nevertheless, once the chick has fully fledged, parental care is immediately severed and independence cultivated. Conclusion Since ancient times, Procellariiformes have been a crucial food source for many communities. Even today people continue to hunt the birds for food and other cultural depictions. The albatrosses are particularly prone to such hunting trends. Today, Procellariiformes are ranked among the most endangered avian taxa, having many of its species in dire threat of extinction. The most serious threats have been the introduction of secondary predators within their breeding colonies, fisheries accidental captures and marine pollution. Today, a host of scientists, fishermen, conservationists and governments all over the globe are working towards reducing the posed threats to the Procellariiformes. These noble efforts successfully led to a legally binding international agreement signed in 2001, and geared towards Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels.
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