Sailors once called storm petrels "Mother Carey's chickens," believing these tiny birds signaled impending bad weather. The origin of this name is somewhat contested. Some tales link it to a mythical sea witch who brought storms and shipwrecks, suggesting she surrounded herself with petrels as her minions or even transformed into one herself. Other stories take a less sinister approach, suggesting "Mother Carey" comes from the Latin Mater Cara, a name for the Virgin Mary, with the birds serving as a divine warning of storms.

But do storm petrels really predict bad weather?

This belief stems from their behavior of flying close to ships during turbulent weather. Sailors observed these small birds darting around their vessels as the skies darkened and the seas grew rough, associating their presence with impending storms. In an age when seafarers relied heavily on natural signs to navigate the treacherous seas, the appearance of storm petrels became a powerful omen.

Their presence during storms also led sailors to believe that storm petrels were the restless spirits of drowned sailors. Their ghostly presence and supernatural ability to skim the waves and disappear into the mist fueled these superstitions. The idea that storm petrels were the souls of drowned sailors arose from the notion that these spirits were doomed to eternally navigate the ocean, forever tied to the waters that claimed their lives. This belief added a mystical and haunting dimension to the sailors' understanding of these mysterious seabirds.

In reality, the presence of storm petrels during bad weather is a testament to their remarkable adaptations for life at sea. These birds are incredibly adept at handling harsh marine conditions. Storm petrels fly low over the water, using their wings to create lift and their feet to maintain balance, allowing them to forage for food even in strong winds. By staying close to the waves and ships, they find some shelter from the worst of the storm's turbulence. Thus, their presence during storms is not a mystical warning but rather a practical response to their environment, showcasing their resilience and survival skills.