Birdsong field guide
Black-capped Petrel
Pterodroma hasitata
The Black-capped Petrel, or 'Diablotín,' is a rare and endangered gadfly petrel known for its distinctive black cap, white nape, and high-arcing flight patterns. It is one of the few seabirds that nests in high-altitude mountain forests rather than on coastal cliffs.
What it sounds like
Low, haunting moans, groans, and yapping 'kek-kek-kek' notes, typically heard only at breeding colonies at night.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Locally named the 'Diablotín' (Little Devil) because of its eerie, nocturnal vocalizations that frightened early explorers.
- The species was thought to be extinct for nearly a century until it was rediscovered nesting in the mountains of Haiti in 1963.
- It nests in deep burrows or crevices on steep, forested mountain cliffs at elevations up to 2,300 meters above sea level.
- It is a highly pelagic species that spends the majority of its life at sea, often foraging along the edge of the Gulf Stream.
- The population exhibits two distinct plumage forms, known as 'dark' and 'light' morphs, which vary in the amount of white on the face and neck.
Habitat
Pelagic open waters during the non-breeding season; steep, high-elevation montane forest cliffs for nesting.
Range
Breeds primarily on the island of Hispaniola; ranges across the Caribbean and the western North Atlantic Ocean.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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