General

Leach's Storm-Petrel: Medium-sized storm-petrel with dark brown body and white rump and undertail feathers. Wings are dark with pale gray-brown bar on upperwings. Tail is dark and forked. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Leach's Storm-Petrel: Breeds on coasts and offshore islands from Aleutians south to Baja California; also in western Pacific and north Atlantic from Labrador south to Maine and Massachusetts. Spends winters mainly in tropical seas. Pelagic; only comes ashore to breed.

Breeding and Nesting

Leach's Storm-Petrel: One dull white egg, occasionally marked with red purple, is laid in a shallow burrow lined with leaves and grass. Incubation ranges from 38 to 46 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Leach's Storm-Petrel: Feeds on fish, crustaceans, and squid. Forages with wings held above horizontal while pattering feet on the water surface.

Vocalization

Leach's Storm-Petrel: Gives a variety of sharp tickling notes ending in a slurred trill.

Similar Species

Leach's Storm-Petrel: Wilson's Storm-Petrel has whiter rump, squared tail, and yellow feet often protruding beyond tail. Band-rumped Storm-Petrel has an undivided rump patch. Black Storm-Petrel has dark rump.