Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli)

Other Names (World)
Northern Giant Petrel, Northern Giant-Petrel, Hall's Giant-Petrel, Giant Fulmar, Stinker, Mother Carey's Goose, Nelly

Family
Procellariidae (Petrels, Shearwaters)

Size
80 - 95 cm
Wingspan: 150 - 210 cm

First Described (Guide)
Mathews, 1912

Derivation
Mac-ro-nëc'-tes - Gk, macros, large; Gk, nectes, swimmer: halli - Robert Hall (1867 - 1949), Australian ornithologist

Habitat
Marine, pelagic, mainly in sub-Antarctic waters of south-west Indian Ocean, extending into sub-tropical waters in winter and spring. Pelagic and inshore waters near breeding islands and in the non-breeding season.

Range (Guide)

Antarctica (NB), Argentina (NB), Australia (B), Brazil (NB), Chile (NB), Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (NB), French Southern Territories (B), New Zealand (B), South Africa (B), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (B), Uruguay (NB).

Vagrant to R�union.

Population
Estimated population is 17,000 - 21,000 (2010) and increasing.

Status LC
Longline fishing and other related practices are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Fish, squid and other marine life. At breeding times eggs, chicks, dead seabirds and carrion.

Voice
Deep, guttural, rather raucous whinny 'hu-hu-hu-hu', in threat. Cat-like mewings in display.

(47Kb) © ? (1)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (10)...)

Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) [XC254063]
by Andrew Spencer from Prion Island, South Georgia, United Kingdom (call)

Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) [XC254065]
by Hichem MACHOUK from Prion Island, South Georgia, United Kingdom (call)

Nest
A depression covered in a rough heap of grass and other plant debris, on the ground. Tends to nest alone in a sheltered area but sometimes mixes with colonies of Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus).

Eggs (Guide)
1; chalky white; ellipsoidal; about 102 x 61 mm. Incubation: about 60 days; by both sexes, in shifts. Usually no replacement laying.

Young
Fledge in about 110 days. Tended by both parents.

Subspecies
No subspecies.

Similar Species
Dark phase juveniles of Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus), with a slightly different bill color.

References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

Files:

JPG files for Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) - 10 files

MP3 files for Northern Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) - 1 files

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