
White-chinned Petrel
The white-chinned petrel or Cape hen, Procellaria aequinoctialis, is a large shearwater in the family Procellariidae.
Species insights
Most records May to Jun
When White-chinned Petrel sightings peak, from open records. Outside these months it is seen less often, not never.
Curve from 139 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where White-chinned Petrel is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
139 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the White-chinned Petrel
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
White-chinned Petrel recorded here
Birder friendly
Birder friendly
Birder friendly
Whale coast and rolling farm country
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the White-chinned Petrel
Hosts have recorded the White-chinned Petrel at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park, Table Mountain National Park and Kogelberg Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
- Eastern CapeSelf-driveStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Vulnerable
Species
Procellaria aequinoctialis
Records
139
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the White-chinned Petrel on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the White-chinned Petrel in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the White-chinned Petrel at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park, Table Mountain National Park, Kogelberg Nature Reserve, Tsitsikamma National Park, Garden Route National Park and Robberg Nature Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the White-chinned Petrel in South Africa?
The White-chinned Petrel is most recorded in Western Cape (89% of records), Eastern Cape (7% of records), based on 139 iNaturalist observations. 16 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the White-chinned Petrel on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the White-chinned Petrel?
Sightings of the White-chinned Petrel peak from May to Jun, based on 139 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.
What is the conservation status of the White-chinned Petrel?
The White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
What is the White-chinned Petrel?
The white-chinned petrel or Cape hen, Procellaria aequinoctialis, is a large shearwater in the family Procellariidae. It ranges around the Southern Ocean as far north as southern Australia, Peru and Namibia, and breeds colonially on scattered islands.

























