There are four very similar species of diving petrels, distinguished only by small differences in the coloration of their plumage, habitat, and bill construction.

The genus Pelecanoides was introduced in 1799 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède for the common diving petrel.

[8] In the bird list maintained by Frank Gill, Pamela Rasmussen and David Donsker on behalf of the International Ornithological Committee the Whenua Hou diving petrel is treated as a subspecies of the South Georgia diving petrel.

The prehistoric fossil record was long limited to very fragmentary remains described as P. cymatotrypetes found in Early Pliocene deposits of Langebaanweg, South Africa; while this bird apparently was close to the common diving petrel, no members of the genus are known from South African waters today.

This was found in Early/Middle Miocene deposits and just as may be expected, it far more resembles diving petrels than any other known bird, but presents a less apomorphic condition.

They have several adaptations for obtaining their prey including short powerful wings, a gular pouch for storing food, and their nostrils open upwards rather than pointing forward as in other tubenoses.

One white egg is laid in a burrow in turf or soft soil that is usually covered with vegetation, feathers, or small rocks.