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The Dyabloten is back!
Why Dominica's rarest seabird matters

What is the Dyabloten bird?

Dyabloten is the Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata), a seabird that breeds only in the Caribbean. Its local name comes from the Kwéyòl for "little devil" and refers to the haunting calls it makes at night near its nest.

🔊Click here to hear Dyabloten's calls.

 

Dyabloten is one of the Caribbean’s most fascinating seabirds. It is also the most threatened. The species spends most of its life at sea and comes to land only to breed, in underground burrows on steep, forested mountain slopes. It is endangered, and we estimate that only 2,000 to 4,000 birds remain in the Caribbean.

Young Black-capped Petrel off the coast of the U.S. (c) Kate Sutherland.

Why it matters to Dominica

Dominica once supported a large Dyabloten population, and two peaks still bear the bird's name: Morne Diablotin, the island's highest mountain, and Morne aux Diables.

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During the 19th century, chicks were harvested for food. Soon, overhunting wiped them out, and the last confirmed nest in Dominica dates from 1862.

 

Today, the only confirmed nesting sites are on the island of Hispaniola, in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. If nesting is confirmed in Dominica, the island's well-protected forests could offer the birds a safe refuge for the future.

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But, first, we have to find where it nests!

What we know now​

  • Since 2015: Radar 📡 and thermal imaging 🔭 have detected Dyabloten activity over the island's mountains. In 2022, researchers working with the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division filmed a bird flying at night near Morne Micotrin.

  • 19 May 2025: Darnell Carbon, an employee of the Cable Car Dominica project, found a grounded fledgling* at the cable car construction site near Boiling Lake. He sheltered it overnight and released it the next morning. Read more in Mr. Arlington James' account for Dominica News Online.

  • 10 February 2026: A second bird was grounded at the Boiling Lake construction site, also rescued by Mr. Carbon. Neither bird was tagged, so it is not known whether this was the same individual as the one rescued in 2025. Read more in Mr. Arlington James' commentary about the 2026 event.

  • Still unresolved: Despite repeated searches, including a 2023 expedition with a trained sniffer dog, no nest has been located.

 

*A fledgling is a young bird that has only recently left its nest, so the 2025 grounding at the cable car construction site confirms that nesting is taking place somewhere on the island.

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Finding Dyabloten nests is important so that the bird can be better protected. Knowing specific nesting locations will allow for management of threats (predators, development, disturbance, etc.). Confirming Dyabloten nesting would also bolster Dominica’s reputation worldwide as the “Nature Isle,” a safe haven for unique wildlife.

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The International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group is helping the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division to locate these nesting grounds.

If you find a grounded Dyabloten

  1. Stay calm and take a few pictures of it.

  2. To capture the bird, cover it with a towel or a t-shirt. Handle it gently and quietly.

  3. Place it in a box with holes for ventilation. Put the box in a cool, quiet, and shaded location. Never leave it in a hot vehicle. Keep it safe from cats and dogs.

  4. Call the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division right away at 767-266-5852. Follow their advice on release.

  5. Write down the date, time, and place.

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DO NOT TRY TO FORCE FOOD OR WATER.

The 2023 international Dyabloten team

How you can help

If you think you saw the Dyabloten bird,

call the Forestry Division at 767-266-5852.

 

  • Everyone: Send photos and details of sightings of Dyabloten to the Forestry Division. Share this story. Every report helps scientists find the nests.

  • Communities: Keep dogs and cats away from any grounded Dyabloten.

  • Builders and contractors at sites with bright lights: Report every Dyabloten to the Forestry Division. Check lit areas and steel structures early in the morning. Bright lights can attract petrels at night, so consider shielding them.

  • Tour guides and hikers: Report night calls or sightings in the mountains.

©2026 by International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group.

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