About Pelecanoides garnotii (Lesson, 1828)
The Peruvian diving petrel, scientifically named Pelecanoides garnotii (Lesson, 1828), has an overall body length of 20–24 cm (7.9–9.4 in). Like other diving petrels, it is a nondescript bird with a dark back, pale belly, and blue feet. It can only be distinguished from other members of its family by differences in its beak and nostrils. Unlike the common diving petrel and the South Georgia diving petrel, the Peruvian diving petrel feeds in cold, offshore, often pelagic water. It catches small fish larvae and planktonic crustaceans by pursuit diving. Planktonic organisms make up 85.3-91.1% of its diet, the main portion of its food. The remaining share of its diet consists of fish, primarily anchovies. Peruvian diving petrels can dive to depths of up to 83 metres (270 ft), while the recorded average diving depth is around 30 metres (100 ft). For a long time, people believed the Peruvian diving petrel was a poor flyer. However, large numbers of these birds have been observed regularly fishing between Asia Island and Pachacamac Island, an area 150-200 kilometres north of their Peruvian breeding grounds.
