Leach's Storm-Petrel vs Jouanin's Petrel

In short

Leach's Storm-Petrel and Jouanin's Petrel can be distinguished by their tail shape and overall coloration. Leach's Storm-Petrel has a forked tail and a distinctive white rump, while Jouanin's Petrel has a long wedge-shaped tail and is uniformly sooty-brown to blackish-brown.

Identification tips

• Tail shape: Leach's Storm-Petrel has a forked tail, while Jouanin's Petrel has a wedge-shaped tail.
• Rump color: Look for the white rump on Leach's Storm-Petrel, absent in Jouanin's Petrel.
• Overall size: Jouanin's Petrel is larger and more robust.
• Flight pattern: Observe the flight; Leach's Storm-Petrel is more erratic compared to the direct flight of Jouanin's Petrel.

Size

Jouanin's Petrel is generally larger and more robust than Leach's Storm-Petrel.

Plumage

Leach's Storm-Petrel features a white rump and a darker body, whereas Jouanin's Petrel is uniformly sooty-brown to blackish-brown with a weak pale bar on the upperwing-coverts.

Behaviour

Leach's Storm-Petrel often exhibits a fluttering flight with erratic changes in direction, while Jouanin's Petrel tends to have a more direct flight pattern.

Habitat

Leach's Storm-Petrel is typically found in cooler northern waters, whereas Jouanin's Petrel is more common in tropical and subtropical seas.