distinct open sea-birds is the 86-102 (according to systematic opinion) types of the tube-noses; because they visit uninhabited rock-islands and unapproachable coasts only to the incubation of its single egg where country-carnivores don't represent any danger for the offspring.
Characteristics The outer nose-openings are tube-nicely extended with all types of the "tube-noses" and lead on the beak-ridge or in two far apart lying openings at the sides of the waiter-beak densely side by side. The meaning of these tubular nose-walks is not yet unequivocally clarified. The horn-beak is composed from several horn-plates with tube-noses.
Special anatomical characteristics of the "petrels" (Latin). procella = storm-wind, in adaptation at the habitat of the blustery open sea, its big nose-glands are that highly concentrated salt-solutions, as well as the strongly extended arm, are eliminated (regulation of the osmotic balance and ion-milieus) and hand-bones and the strongly specialized arm, and the 10 Handschwingen. The number of the shortened Armschwingen often is strongly elevated while the energy-feathers can extremely have extended (Albatrosse). The reaches, narrow wings (with only inferior sail-surface) of the tube-noses are specialized on high wind-speeds, that generate the necessary buoyancy.
Flight Also in quiet weather, the birds sail fast there by using the upcurrent densely over the water-surface at the wave-combs and big distances overcoming without a flap so. Smaller types against it have a "fluttering", fast flight (diving-petrels). The feet of the tube-noses carry 3 with swimming-skins of connected toes; the rear-toe is missing or is receded.
Way of life Many "petrels" are twilight - and night-active. The on and migrations of the plankton are cause of it: at night, it is at the surface, during the day in deeper water-layers. Tube-noses remain frequent on the open sea for months, where it after Kopffüßern ("squids") and other mollusks, cancers, jellyfishes, fishing and smaller plankton-organisms seeks.
Probably the glandular-stomach (pre-stomach) is very well trained with all members of the Procellariiformes and isolates a liquid waxy material, whose functions are not yet clarified completely. Vomits anyway brooding, hudernde alto-birds and particularly squabs this secretion of dangerous situations often meter-far and goal-oriented trouble-makers contrary to. Albatrosse feed also its boys with this properly strictly smelling secretion as newer examinations proved.
Reproduction Only the big Albatrosse and some few other big types of the petrels brood unprotected outside, while erbrüten all other tube-noses its egg in burrows or rock-caves. Both mostly immediately looking brood-partners participates at the very long lasting brood-business (Albatrosse approximately 80 days) as well as at the Aufzucht of the bedunt of slipping boys. To the feed-procurement, the alto-birds partially fly to suitable food-reasons across gigantic distances. Also growing up of the squab needs very much time, with the king-albatross, Diomedea epomorpha, the nestling-duration amounts to 220 days!); it trains two Dunenkleider, that have the same origin as the subsequent youth-dress. Squabs often have more weight than the alto-birds more than 50 percent; since the parents often are kicked out again long on the sea before the fully-fledged-development of the offspring, the boys must put on themselves a reserve until its independence. With loss of the egg erbrüten tube-noses no after-nest.
Spread The spread-area of most types stretches over the oceans of the southern hemisphere where this old bird-group was also probably created. Some types (approximately 15) brood also in the northern Arctic, others appear here in the change of the seasons regularly or are observed only rare as Irrgäste, like Z. B. Albatrosse.
System The order of the tube-noses includes 4 families: Albatrosse, petrels, petrels and diving-petrels.
1. Albatrosse (Diomedeidae). The 13 types of the Albatrosse are the biggest birds of its order; with spans over 3 m, they have also the longest wings of all birds.
2. Petrels (Procellariidae). The 55-63 types of the petrels (also "storm-divers" named) form with the 4 subfamilies of the storm-divers (Procellariinae), hook-storm-divers (Pterodrominae), whale-birds (Pachyptilinae) and seagull-petrels (Fulmarinae) the most irregular family of the order; they brood partially also on the northern hemisphere.
3. Petrels (Hydrobatidae). The 18-21 types of the petrels put the smallest representatives of the tube-noses; they live on the northern and southern oceans of the earth.
4. Diving-petrels (Pelecanoididae). With only 5 types, the diving-petrels form the smallest family of the tube-noses.
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