The Gadfly petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes.

Description
These medium to large petrels feed on food items picked from the ocean surface.
The short, sturdy bills of the Pterodroma species in this group, about 35 altogether, are adapted for soft prey taken at the surface; they have twisted intestines for digesting marine animals which have unusual biochemistries.
Their complex wing and face marking are probably for interspecific recognition.
Breeding / Nesting
These birds nest in colonies on islands and are pelagic when not breeding. One white egg is laid usually in a burrow or on open ground. They are nocturnal at the breeding colonies.
Species in Taxonomic Order
The taxonomy of the gadfly petrels is being reformed at the moment. Several genera have been split off over time, as they are closer to the procellarine and Puffinus shearwaters.
Some subspecies have been raised to full species rank. The arrangement given here is traditional, but annotates the changes proposed by Austin (1998) and Bretagnolle et al. (1998). For the current taxonomy, see also Brooke (2004).
- Genus Pterodroma
- Pterodroma baraui, Barau’s PetrelPterodroma arminjoniana, Trindade Petrel
- Pterodroma (arminjoniana) heraldica, Herald Petrel recognized by the International Ornithological Congress, however the American Ornithologists’ Union (SACC) has not recognized the split as of yet.Split from Pterodroma arminjoniana
- Pterodroma sandwichensis, Hawaiian Petrel
- Pterodroma (feae) desertae, Deserta’s Petrel The International Ornithological Congress is contemplating a split.
- Split from Pterodroma cervicalis
- Pterodroma baraui, Barau’s PetrelPterodroma arminjoniana, Trindade Petrel
- Subgenus Cookilaria
- Pterodroma cookii, Cook’s PetrelPterodroma pycrofti, Pycroft’s PetrelPterodroma defilippiana, Mas a Tierra Petrel or De Filippi’s PetrelPterodroma longirostris, Stejneger’s PetrelPterodroma nigripennis, Black-winged PetrelPterodroma axillaris, Chatham PetrelPterodroma hypoleuca, Bonin PetrelPterodroma inexpectata, Mottled PetrelPterodroma leucoptera, Gould’s PetrelPterodroma brevipes, Collared Petrel
A Pleistocene fossil from Aldabra, Indian Ocean, was described as Pterodroma kurodai. Biogeographically, it could belong into any genus.
