Like other species,  fork-tailed storm petrels spend most of their time out at sea and  only return to land to breed around late March to early April.
To avoid predation and harassment by gulls, these birds only enter the colony at night and depart before sunrise.

The fork-tailed storm petrel builds its nest in rock crevices or small burrows on isolated islands.
Courtship consists of vocalizations and aerial displays, often lasting for several weeks.
Once established, pairs will remain together for the rest of the breeding season and if they are successful,  continually use the same nest year after year.
Females will lay a single white egg directly on the floor of the burrow, and both parents will incubate it for around 50 days.
Once the egg hatches, the adult  keeps the chick warm using its brood patch for the first five days.
Once able to thermoregulate for itself, the parents  then leave the chick, only returning to feed it one every one to four nights.
After two months of slow growth, the petrel chick will finally fledge and leave the burrow.

Living in areas with severe climactic conditions, fork-tailed storm petrels have many adaptations to ensure breeding success.
Eggs can be left unattended  up to 7 days and still successfully hatch, whereas chick growth rates can be adjusted to being faster or slower depending on food supply, rather at a constant rate like many other birds.
Like other species,  fork-tailed storm petrels spend most of their time out at sea and  only return to land to breed around late March to early April. To avoid predation and harassment by gulls, these birds only enter the colony at night and depart before sunrise.
The fork-tailed storm petrel builds its nest in rock crevices or small burrows on isolated islands. Courtship consists of vocalizations and aerial displays, often lasting for several weeks. Once established, pairs will remain together for the rest of the breeding season and if they are successful,  continually use the same nest year after year. Females will lay a single white egg directly on the floor of the burrow, and both parents will incubate it for around 50 days. Once the egg hatches, the adult  keeps the chick warm using its brood patch for the first five days. Once able to thermoregulate for itself, the parents  then leave the chick, only returning to feed it one every one to four nights. After two months of slow growth, the petrel chick will finally fledge and leave the burrow.
Living in areas with severe climactic conditions, fork-tailed storm petrels have many adaptations to ensure breeding success. Eggs can be left unattended  up to 7 days and still successfully hatch, whereas chick growth rates can be adjusted to being faster or slower depending on food supply, rather at a constant rate like many other birds.
Fork-tailed storm petrel