Pregnant Mascarene petrel shows off ginormous egg bump as she soars over open seas: picture

A critically endangered Mascarene petrel, Pseudobulweria aterrima, with a very pregnant egg bump is taking centre stage by storm in the ornithological world today. This mysterious seabird was expected to lay her egg -- and she lays only one egg per season -- within hours after being photographed on 22 December 2012 by ornithological paparazzi.


Adult female Mascarene petrel, Pseudobulweria aterrima, with large egg bump (arrow), photographed south of Réunion Island in the southern Indian Ocean. This species is critically endangered with a small and steadily-declining population.Photograph: Hadoram Shirihai/BirdLife International.