Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae)

Antarctic Prion (Pachyptila desolata) - HBW 1, p. 249

French: Prion de la Désolation German: Taubensturmvogel Spanish: Pato petrel Antártico
Other common names: Dove Prion/Petrel, Bank's/Blue Dove-petrel, Dove-white Petrel, Whalebird, Snowbird

Taxonomy: Procellaria desolata Gmelin, 1789, Desolation Island = Kerguelen Island.
Often included in P. vittata. Arrangement into subspecies highly confused, and populations apparently form cline; birds from Macquarie I sometimes placed in alter, or isolated in separate race macquariensis; birds from Heard I alternatively placed in desolata. Up to six subspecies variously accepted, but species may be best considered monotypic. Three subspecies normally recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution: