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Northern Giant Petrel ( Juvenile )

Macronectes halli

Description:

The Northern Giant-petrel is a large seabird of length 80-95cm and wingspan 150-210cm. Northern giant petrels are dark grey, whitish on the face and chin, and mottled white on the head, neck and breast. Their plumage becomes paler and more mottled as they age. Adults have a conspicuous pale grey iris, whereas juveniles have dark ones.

Notes:

Distribution and abundance: Northern giant petrels are regular visitors to southern Australian and South African waters in winter and spring. They usually arrive in Australian waters about one month earlier than do the southern giant petrels. Northern giant petrels breed on subantarctic islands and South Georgia, between 46° and 54°S but do not breed on the Antarctic continent. Conservation status: least concern with populations increasing Breeding: Northern giant petrels arrive at their colonies from early August to September and lay one egg. During the breeding period, males undertake a larger part of the incubation and guard duties than do the females. Chicks fledge from February to March. Eggs and chicks can be lost by desertion, trampling by adults and predation by skuas. Diet and feeding: Both southern and northern giant petrel feed on krill, squid, fish, other small seabirds, and carcasses of marine mammals. Northern giant petrel scavenge and prey on seal pups and placentae, penguins and albatross. However, they rely more heavily on fish during winter months.

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6 Comments

triggsturner
triggsturner 8 years ago

Thanks for joining my mission Mark. Going to try and make it a pretty comprehensive resource for this genre.

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 8 years ago

Thanks Bob, added to mission.

triggsturner
triggsturner 8 years ago

Great image Mark. Would you care to join my new mission for tube nosed seabirds and include this guy? You would be most welcome.
Bob

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 11 years ago

Added ID & information.

Jellis
Jellis 11 years ago

Sure looks like a Giant Petrel but I wouldn't know if it is a Northern or Southern.

Jellis
Jellis 11 years ago

do you have more of this bird?

MacChristiansen
Spotted by
MacChristiansen

New South Wales, Australia

Spotted on Oct 4, 2012
Submitted on Oct 4, 2012

Spotted for Mission

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