Great-winged petrel
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Genus
SPECIES
Pterodroma macroptera

The great-winged petrel (Pterodroma macroptera ) is a petrel.

Te

Terrestrial

Co

Congregatory

Co

Colonial

No

Not a migrant

G

starts with

Appearance

This is a large seabird, with a body length of 42–45 cm. The bird is completely dark brown except for a variable patch of white near the base of the bill, which is black.

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It is separated from sooty shearwater and short-tailed shearwater by the all-dark underwing, the thick, stubby bill, and different jizz. The similar flesh-footed shearwater has a light, pinkish bill. Petrels in the genus Procellaria are larger and have a less bounding flight.

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Distribution

Geography

The great-winged petrel breeds in the Southern Hemisphere between 30 and 50 degrees south with colonies on Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, the Crozet Islands, the Prince Edward Islands, the Kerguelen Islands and on the coasts of southern Australia. It is a rare vagrant to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, United States.

Great-winged petrel habitat map
Great-winged petrel habitat map
Great-winged petrel
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Habits and Lifestyle

The species feeds mostly on squid and to a lesser degree on fish and crustaceans. Prey is generally caught at night, by dipping and surface-seizing. The great-winged petrel will on occasion follow whales and associate with other related bird species to feed. Breeding occurs in the southern winter (beginning in April); nests are either solitary or in small colonies, located in burrows or aboveground among boulders or low vegetation.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Population

References

1. Great-winged petrel Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great-winged_petrel
2. Great-winged petrel on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/45048812/132667191

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