Nea's Storm Petrels

Storm petrels, Earths smallest group of seabirds, were first introduced in Nea around the Kurnigian area, where it was expected they'd feed on small fish and crustaceans, which they catch by fluttering above the water. The initially population of European Storm Petrels (Hydrobates pelagicus) released around the Kurnigian sea rapidly spread out to new locations due to their migratory lifestyle, and colonised various locations around Nea's largest bodies of water, establishing nesting colonies of monogamous couples on the rocky crevices of cliffs and low vegetation shores, where they could dig burrows that they share with other seabirds, small rodents and on Nea, even bats. On Earth, these animals were strictly pellagic, only coming to land to breed, but the population of Grey-winged Storm Petrels (exclusively found around the Kurnigian sea) has developed a more terrestrial lifestyle, spending a great ammount of time on land, even breeding in inland locations (behaviour which is shared by a couple of Earth's storm petrels). Some species were also nocturnal, to avoid larger predators that prowl the shoreline skies, a behaviour still present in Nea's Pilgrim Petrel, which preffer to use the cover of night to hunt and leave their burrows, especially during breeding season. Originally clumsy on land, unable to walk using the entire surface of their feet (instead shuffling about on their tarsi) Nea's storm petrels are now more at ease when on the ground, and their legs are more robust than their earthly counterparts.

Nea's Storm Petrels evolved on Nea with abundance of resources and relative lack of predators, and thus it was witnessed an increase in overall size and a more robust frame, which was originally relatively diminute. Especially the Grey-Winged Storm Petrel (Hydrobates kurnigianus) evolved to be remarkably large, filling in the niche that would be occupied on Earth by seagulls (hence giving it the nickname of Black Gull, or False Seagull). Their behaviour shifted from a more migratory, pellagic pattern to a more sedentary one, relying less on covering larger distances to find food - instead, they establish large, noisy, year-round colonies, which may even be found inland in the western shore of Nea's sea. They are also less reliant on burrows, and when soft soil ideal for burrowing isn't available, they have no qualms in making a nest in a relatively open area, where they normally lay one egg, being two a relatively rare occurence (though an increse has been registered in later years, especially when there's an abundance of food). Their diet also shifted slightly, and some reports indicate that they now may be feeding on carrion brought to the shores by the Kurnigian currents, though this occurence is still rare. 

The Pilgrim Petrel (Hydrobates panneanicus) was given that common name due to the large distances they cover between nesting sites, since colonies from small to huge can be found almost in any body of water around Nea. Pilgrim Petrels aren't strictly pellagic like their earthly counterparts, but still spend a great ammount of time flying above the waves in search of food, coming to land to breed. They are burrowers, and have no problems sharing their lairs with peaceful Neanean flightless bats, Mystacina breviptera, that rid their nests of any undesirable critters, and in turn, they offer the bats shelter from larger predators. Remarkably, around the Kurnigian, they make their nests almost exclusively in burrows already occupied by larger Grey-winged storm petrels - scientists theorize this grants them extra protection against ground predators, an example being the Rockhopper bat (Mystacina breviptera manufactius). They can be seen in broad daylight throughout the year, but when breeding, they are mostly nocturnal, and will leave their single chick at night to find food to feed it.

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More ideas for 's contest! I still have two more, which sadly will not be able to be coloured on time, but will make their way to the contest anyways (hopefully!).