Appearance
The fairy prion is the smallest prion and it measures between 23 and 28 cm long. Its plumage is blue-grey on its upperparts, and white underneath. They have a dark "M" on their upperparts extending to their wingtips, and their tail is wedge-shaped with a dark tip. They have a blue bill and feet.Naming
''Pachyptila'', the word, comes from the Greek words ''pakhus'' and ''ptilon''. ''Pakhus'' means thick or stout and ''ptilon'' means a feather. Also from the Greek language, ''prion'' comes from the word ''priōn'' meaning a saw, which is in reference to its serrated edges of its bill.Status
Widespread and common throughout its large range, with an estimated population of 5,000,000, the fairy prion is evaluated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its range is 24,600,000 km2 .Habitat
The fairy prion is found throughout oceans and coastal areas in the Southern Hemisphere.Reproduction
They breed colonially and prefer small islands. The nest is situated in soil, hidden by vegetation and is dug with the bill or feet, or it is in a hollow in a crevice. When coming back to their nest at night, they will coo softly and listen for their mate.Food
The diet consists mainly of planktonic crustaceans and other tiny sea animals, which they feed at night from the water's surface.References:
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