Southern Giant Petrel

The Southern Giant Petrel, Macronectes giganteus, is a formidable presence in the southern oceans. This large seabird, also known colloquially as the Antarctic giant petrel, giant fulmar, stinker, or stinkpot, commands attention with its impressive wingspan stretching between 185 to 205 cm (6 ft 1 in – 6 ft 9 in) and a body length of 86 to 99 cm (34–39 in). Sexual dimorphism is evident, with males typically larger than females. The species exhibits two morphs: the dark morph, with mottled brown plumage and lighter wing edges, and the rarer light morph, predominantly white with minimal black speckling.

Identification Tips

Distinguishing this species in the field, one should note the very large yellow bill tipped with green and the greyish-brown legs. Juveniles of the dark morph begin life with a sooty brown coloration that lightens with age. When in flight, the Southern Giant Petrel has a distinctive hunchbacked silhouette.

Habitat

The Southern Giant Petrel is a bird of the open ocean, breeding on remote islands across the southern hemisphere, from the edge of the Antarctic continent to the subtropics.

Distribution

This species has a broad range, from the icy shores of Antarctica to the warmer waters of Chile, Africa, and Australia. It nests on a variety of islands, with significant populations on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Macquarie Island, among others.

Behaviour

The Southern Giant Petrel is known for its aggressive predatory behavior and scavenging habits. It feeds on a wide range of marine life, including fish, krill, and squid, as well as carrion and waste from ships. Males are known to aggressively defend their feeding grounds from females.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Southern Giant Petrel are less documented in this account, but like many seabirds, they are likely to have a repertoire suited to their isolated breeding sites and life on the open ocean.

Breeding

Reaching sexual maturity around six to seven years of age, these birds nest in loose colonies, with larger aggregations in the Falkland Islands. They lay a single white egg in a nest made of vegetation and stones. Both parents share incubation duties over a period of 55–66 days, and the chick, once hatched, is brooded for two to three weeks, fledging after 104–132 days.

Similar Species

The Northern Giant Petrel is similar in appearance but can be differentiated by the reddish tip on its bill, compared to the greenish tip of the Southern Giant Petrel.

Diet and Feeding

The Southern Giant Petrel's diet is varied, including live prey such as fish and squid, as well as scavenged food like carrion and offal. It is also known to follow ships for scraps and has been observed killing other seabirds, including penguins and albatrosses.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the Southern Giant Petrel as Least Concern, with a population trend that has seen both decreases and increases in different regions. Conservation efforts include monitoring and protection of breeding sites, as well as measures to mitigate threats from longline and trawl fishing.