Common diving petrels use their wings to propel them underwater and catch most of their prey in underwater pursuit. They can dive to depths of 60 m. The legs are used to steer. Their diet is mainly aquatic crustaceans, mainly copepods (Copepoda), amphipods (Amphipoda, especially Hyperiella antarctica and Hyperoche medusarum), euphasiid krill (Euphausiidae, Euphasia superba), and some isopods (Isopoda). South Georgia diving petrels (Pelecanoides georgicus) seem to specialize on euphasiids in their diet, whereas common diving petrels dive deeper for prey, targeting primarily copepods and amphipods in the breeding season, although they will take more euphasiids outside of the breeding season. Common diving petrels forage mainly in the near shore areas around their breeding colonies.
Animal Foods: aquatic crustaceans
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats non-insect arthropods)
Rights Holder: The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Bibliographic Citation: Dewey, T. 2009. "Pelecanoides urinatrix" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at
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