Antarctic Prion is often forced to dig through deep snow to clear a way into its burrow at its more southerly breeding sites. The size of the Antarctic Prion is about 270–290 mm in length. The eggs are not usually laid until December, and the chicks hatch in February. Tended by both parents, the young fledge in late March. This is one of the prions most commonly washed up on Australia’s southern coastline beaches, especially after winter storms. This bird is also known as a dove prion, a snowbird, or a whalebird.
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At sea, as on its breeding islands, it resembles the larger Broad-billed Prion in its habits. The birds flock in thousands to feed by day on krill, scooping it up by hydroplaning and filtering the morsels out through the reduced sieve plates on their bills. They also swim, flutter, and dive like the Broad-billed, but with greater agility. After breeding, adults go to sea for their annual molt. The call of in flight over a colony or from within a burrow is called kur-ur-kutcha or tutter-da-der-da-da in courtship. Sometimes, piping whistles come from females during copulation and from begging chicks.
Both sexes are similar. The upper parts are leaden, darker on the head. Bold dark eyestripe; less pronounced white eyebrow than other prions. Narrow dark band across shoulders and back, and at end of the tail. The sides of the neck slaty, creating a partial collar. Underparts white. Their eyes are brown. Bill is leaden, straight-sided, with lamellae just visible near the gap. Feel blue, paler on webs. The immature is similar to adults; it is narrower-billed. DOWNY YOUNG: Smoky leaden above, whiter below; face rather bare.
Nesting and breeding occur in October–May over summer, in vast colonies, visiting at night. Nest a burrow among low plants or cavities in rocks and screes; often several pairs to one system. Egg: one; white; oval shape, about the size of 47 x 35 mm. The incubation period is about 44–45 days, and both sexes are responsible for incubation in three-four-day shifts. Young, brooded in first 3-5 days, fledged in 50–55 days. There are three races; probably all reaching the Australian seas in winter.
As far as distribution is concerned, there are circum-antarctic and subantarctic oceans except the central South Pacific. Breeds at Kerguelen, Macquarie, and Auckland Islands, South Orkney, South Georgia, Heard Island, and Cape Denison, Antarctica.
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