Return of Bird of the Week: Antarctic Prion

If you know the word “prion” at all you probably think of a mis-folded protein that causes neurodegenerative diseases. But it’s also a small family of seven petrel-like species, the largest of which is the Antarctic Prion. The white belly, white eyebrow, black tail tip and distinctive dark “M” shape on the back make it a pretty easy ID. Slightly smaller than petrels like the Cape Petrel, they are zooplankton and krill specialists. Their bill is adapted to filter-feeding, and they have a gular pouch like a mini-whale to assist in that filter-feeding. In flight, they are even more aerobatic…