Otto Whitehead Image © Otto Whitehead

Fairy Prion

Pachyptila turtur

Number Of Mature
Individuals (Regional)

2 000

Regional
Population Trend

Decreasing

nt

2025
Regional Category

Near Threatened

Search by species

CONTENTS
Loading navigation...

    Overview

    Names

    IOC English Name:

    Fairy Prion

    SA & IOC Scientific Name:

    Pachyptila turtur

    BirdLife International Taxonomy (scientific name):

    Pachyptila turtur

    Order:

    PROCELLARIIFORMES

    Family:

    Procellariidae

    Species name author:

    Kuhl 1820

    Afrikaans:

    Swartstertwalvisvoël

    Sesotho (South Africa):

    Leebaruarua la setonontsho

    Sesotho (Lesotho):

    Siswati:

    Zulu:

    Impungesajuba

    Current Assessment Status

    2025 Regional Category [Criteria]

    NT° [A3e]

    2024 Global Category [Criteria]

    LC (Birdlife International 2018)

    Population size (Regional)

    1000 breeding pairs (Ryan and Bester 2008)

    Population size (Global)

    c. 5 million individuals (Brooke 2004)

    Distribution size (EOO) (Regional) km2

    c. 720 (breeding)

    Distribution size (EOO) (Global) km2

    63 600 000 (breeding/resident)

    Distribution size (AOO) (Regional) km2

    334 (breeding)

    Generation time

    14.63 years (Bird et al. 2020)

    Status change reason

    No Change

    Migrant (in the region)

    No

    Regional endemic

    No

    Historic Listing Information

    2000 Regional Status

    LC

    2015 Regional Status

    NT [D2]

    Status change reason (if applicable)

    Criteria revision

    2015 Population size (Regional)

    Unknown

    2015 Global Status

    LC

    Reason for Inclusion

    Reason for Inclusion in the Assessment

    The Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur breeds on the Prince Edward Islands in the region and was classified as Near Threatened in 2015. This species was assessed as regionally Near Threatened in 2015. Fairy Prion was again included in the 2025 Regional Red List because global and regional population estimates are based on dated data, complicating application of a 5% filter a cautionary approach was adopted and the species was included.

    Category Justification

    Category Justification

    The regional population of the Fairy Prion qualifies for Vulnerable (VU) under Criterion A3 due to projected future declines based on expert-assessed extinction horizons due principally to the threat of House Mice Mus musculus on Marion Island (Preston et al. 2019). While there is limited direct evidence of ongoing population decline currently, predictive assessments suggest that the species may experience a significant reduction over the next three generations. The extinction horizon estimates indicate that the species’ population may decline by 46% within this period, exceeding the threshold for VU under A3 (Lee 2025).

    Since a Regional Rescue Effect is applicable given the pelagic nature of the species, plus a non-threatened global population, the Category is modified to: NTo A3.

    Population Justification

    The global population is estimated at c. 5 million mature individuals (Brooke 2004). The Marion Island population experienced major decreases as a result of predation by domestic cats Felis catus, introduced to Marion in 1948 (van Aarde 1980, Schramm 1986). Prior to this, the species was probably widely distributed on both islands in the group. Barnes and Huyser (1998) listed the regional population as numbering in the 100s, but without substantiation. Ryan and Bester (2008) later provided an estimate of 1000 breeding pairs. There have been no published updates since, but the species is often seen flying around the coastal cliffs of Marion Island during summer.

    Trend Justification

    The global population is thought to be stable in absence of any evidence showing declines (BirdLife International 2018). The regional population trend is thought to be positive due to the removal of domestic cats from Marion Island (Cooper et al. 1995). However, future population projections based on extinction horizon estimates suggest that significant reductions may occur within the next three generations (Preston et al. 2019). While no significant recent declines have been observed, the potential for future declines justifies careful consideration under Criterion A3 (Lee 2025). Ongoing monitoring is essential to validate these projections and determine whether the species is experiencing measurable population decreases.

    Biology & Ecology

    Taxonomy

    The classification of Pachyptila prions is currently undergoing changes and would benefit from comprehensive genetic studies involving substantial sample sizes to clarify the relationships within the genus. Nevertheless, the Fairy Prion stands out as distinct, and there is limited doubt among experts regarding its status as a valid species (Onley and Scofield 2007). Fairy Prions were recently found to not be monophyletic (Shepherd et al. 2022).

    Identification

    25 cm, 140 g. Prions as a group are easy to separate from other seabirds, but very difficult to separate from each other. They have a characteristic dark ‘M’ across their wings and back, contrasting with grey-blue plumage. Their head patterns, dark tail tips and bill morphology may be useful in identification at sea. Bill morphology is a reasonably robust way to separate some species, although there is considerable overlap between all taxa. The Fairy Prion is relatively easy to identify if seen reasonably well: small, with bluer plumage than other prions and dark eye-stripe much more indistinct, thus contrasting less against white supercilium. The bird has a petite blue bill adorned with black lines between its bill plates. Its central tail feathers exhibit a dark hue, while the outer tail feathers are a lighter shade of grey, bordered with a white edge. Beneath, the bird’s undersides are predominantly white, except for the undertail (Ryan 2005).

    Distribution

    The Fairy Prion is found around the Southern Ocean, in three distinct regions: around islands south-east of Australia and Tasmania and all-around New Zealand and its associated sub-Antarctic islands; at the southern Indian Ocean islands (including Marion and Prince Edward islands); and the Falklands and South Georgia islands (Onley and Scofield 2007).

    Ecology

    The Fairy Prion’s breeding biology has not been studied in the region, but it is unlikely to be different from elsewhere, where it is a summer breeder. This species lacks the filter-feeding apparatus of the bill (comb-like lamellae) that other prions have, and elsewhere it feeds almost exclusively on krill and other crustaceans (Prince and Morgan 1987). It appears attracted to boats at times, but does not feed in association with them, merely following in the wake or riding in the updrafts and turbulence created by boats. A generation length of 14.63 years is provided by Bird et al. (2020). On Stephens Island, New Zealand, a medium-sized temperate reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) thermoregulates more effectively when sharing a burrow with a Fairy Prion (Corkery et al. 2018).

    Threats & Conservation

    Threats

    The threat from cat predation on Marion Island was removed by eradicating all cats by 1991 (Bester et al. 2002). This species is considered vulnerable to predation by mice on Marion Island, with local extirpation estimated to occur between in 50 to 100 years sans eradication. Plastic ingestion by fledglings has been reported outside the region, but no correlation was found between the ingestion and poor body condition (Lavers et al. 2022). Rather, poor body condition was attributed to a marine heatwave (Lavers et al. 2022).

    Conservation Measures Underway

    None for this species, only generic conservation measures for the breeding islands. The Prince Edward Islands are listed as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and as a Special Nature Reserve under the Environment Conservation Act (No 73 of 1989) and managed under the Prince Edward Islands Management Plan 1996. The Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area was proclaimed in 2013. The Mouse-Free-Marion eradication project is currently being planned.

    Conservation Measures Proposed

    Reducing marine debris which may become a potential threat if plastic ingestion occurs in the region.

    Research Priorities and Questions

    • Information is required on population numbers and trends on Marion and Prince Edward islands.
    • Virtually nothing is known about many basic demographic parameters for this species at the Prince Edward Islands. Knowledge of breeding success, recruitment parameters, longevity, breeding frequency, sex-based differences in parental investment, age/sex structure, etc. would be useful for modelling population trends; currently all this information would have to be inferred from other areas or sister taxa.
    • Movements of this species during and outside the breeding season are unknown, including the geographical range of juveniles.
    • Investigating for plastic ingestion in the regional population.

    Contributors & References

    Assessor/s

    Shamiso Banda

    Reviewer/s

    Stefan Schoombie

    References

    Barnes KN, Huyser O. 1998. The Prince Edward Islands Important Bird Area. In: Barnes KN (ed), The Important Bird Areas of southern Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. pp 269–272.

    Bester MN, Bloomer JP, van Aarde RJ, Erasmus BH, van Rensburg PJJ, Skinner JD, Howell PG, Naude TW. 2002. A review of the successful eradication of feral cats from Subantarctic Marion Island, Southern Indian Ocean. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 32: 65– 73.

    Bird JP, Martin R, Akçakaya HR, Gilroy J, Burfield IJ, Garnett ST, Symes A, Taylor J, Şekercioğlu ÇH, Butchart SH. 2020. Generation lengths of the world’s birds and their implications for extinction risk. Conservation Biology 34: 1252–1261.

    BirdLife International. 2018. Pachyptila turtur. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22698124A132626982. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698124A132626982.en. [Accessed on 11 September 2023].

    Brooke MD. 2004. Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World (Bird Families of the World). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

    Cooper J, Marais A, Bloomer JP, Bester MN. 1995. A success story: breeding of burrowing petrels (Procellariidae) before and after the eradication of feral cats Felis catus at subantarctic Marion Island. Marine Ornithology 23: 33–37.

    Corkery I, Bell BD, Nelson NJ. 2018. Thermoregulation of a temperate reptile in a forested habitat. Zoology 127: 63–69.

    Lavers JL, de Jersey AM, Jones NR, Stewart LG, Charlton-Howard HS, Grant ML, Woehler EJ. 2022. Ingested plastics in beach-washed Fairy Prions Pachyptila turtur from Tasmania. Marine Pollution Bulletin 184: 114096.

    Lee ATK. 2025. The application of IUCN Regional Red List Criteria to the species of South Africa’s Prince Edward Islands. Unpublished report. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa.

    Onley D, Scofield P. 2007. Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters of the World. London, United Kingdom: A&C Black.

    Preston GR, Dilley BJ, Cooper J, Beaumont J, Chauke LF, Chown, SL, Devanunthan N, Dopolo M, Fikizolo L, Heine J, Henderson S, Jacobs CA, Johnson F, Kelly J, Makhado AB, Marais C, Maroga J, Mayekiso M, McClelland G, Mphepya J, Muir D, Ngcaba N, Ngcobo N, Parkes JB, Paulsen F, Schoombie S, Springer K, Stringer C, Valentine H, Wanless RM, Ryan PG. 2019. South Africa works towards eradicating introduced house mice form the sub-Antarctic Marion Island: the largest island yet attempted for mice. In: Veitch CR, Clout MN, Martin AR, Russell JC, West CJ (eds), Island Invasives: Scaling up to Meet the Challenge. Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission; Vol. 62 pp 40–46. IUCN. Available: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/48358.

    Prince PA, Morgan RA. 1987. Diet and feeding ecology of Procellariiformes. In: Croxall JP (ed), Seabirds: Feeding Ecology and Role in Marine Ecosystems. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. pp 154–171.

    Ryan PG. 2005. Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur. In: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ, Ryan PG (eds), Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, 7th Edn. Cape Town, South Africa: The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp 666.

    Ryan PG, Bester MN. 2008. Pelagic Predators. In: Chown SL, Froneman PW (eds), The Prince Edward Islands: land-sea interactions in a changing ecosystem. Stellenbosch, South Africa: Sun Media. pp 121–164.

    Schramm M. 1986. Burrow densities and nest site preferences of petrels (Procellariidae) at the Prince Edwards Islands. Polar Biology 6: 63–70.

    Shepherd LD, Miskelly CM, Bulgarella M, Tennyson AJD. 2022. Genomic analyses of fairy and fulmar prions (Procellariidae: Pachyptila spp.) reveals parallel evolution of bill morphology, and multiple species. PLOS ONE 17(9): e0275102.

    van Aarde RJ. 1980. The diet and feeding behaviour of feral cats, Felis catus, at Marion Island. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 10: 123–128.

    Citation

    Banda S 2025. Fairy Prion. In: Lee ATK, Rose S, Banda S, Bezeng SB, Maphalala MI, Maphisa DH, Smit-Robinson H (eds), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. Available at: https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-list/fairy-prion/

    Our generous sponsors

    Sponsor logoSponsor logoSponsor logoSponsor logoSponsor logoSponsor logoSponsor logoSponsor logo