Zino's petrel (Pterodroma madeira) is a species of small seabird, endemic to Madeira. This gadfly petrel is grey above with a dark "W" across the wings. The wings are mainly blackish below, and the belly is white. It is very similar in appearance to Fea's petrel, both being formerly considered to be subspecies of the soft-plumaged petrel, but Zino's was raised to a species on criteria including morphology and mitochondrial DNA. Its breeding areas are a few ledges high in the mountains of Madeira, where it nests in burrows which are visited only at night. The single white egg is incubated by both adults, one sitting while the other feeds on fish and squid at sea. This species is subject to predation by introduced cats and rats, and in the past by humans. Predator control and the removal of grazing animals has enabled the population to recover although it remains listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. There was a major setback in 2010 when fires killed three adults and 65 percent of the chicks.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zino%27s_petrel

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1621:

Samoset, a member of the Abenaki tribe, walked into Plymouth Colony and greeted the Pilgrims in English (depicted). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoset

1689:

The Royal Welch Fusiliers, one of the oldest line-infantry regiments of the British Army, was founded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Welch_Fusiliers

1918:

Finnish Civil War: The Whites won the Battle of Länkipohja, after which they executed at least 70 Reds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_L%C3%A4nkipohja

2003:

American peace activist Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by an Israel Defense Forces armored bulldozer in Rafah while protesting the demolition of a Palestinian house. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Corrie

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

growl: 1. (intransitive) To utter a deep guttural sound, as an angry animal; to give forth an angry, grumbling sound. 2. (intransitive, jazz) Of a wind instrument: to produce a low-pitched rumbling sound. 3. (intransitive, software) To send a user a message via the Growl software library. 4. (transitive) To express (something) by growling. 5. (transitive, jazz) To play a wind instrument in a way that produces a low-pitched rumbling sound. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/growl

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I don't have a problem with someone using their talents to become successful, I just don't think the highest calling is success. Things like freedom and the expansion of knowledge are beyond success, beyond the personal. Personal success is not wrong, but it is limited in importance, and once you have enough of it it is a shame to keep striving for that, instead of for truth, beauty, or justice.   --Richard Stallman https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman