Northern giant petrel
Northern giant petrel | |
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Flying over Godthul, South Georgia , British Overseas Territories
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Procellariiformes |
Family: | Procellariidae |
Genus: | Macronectes |
Species: | M. halli
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Binomial name | |
Macronectes halli Mathews , 1912 | |
Global map of eBird reports Year-Round Range Summer Range Winter Range
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The northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli), also known as Hall's giant petrel, is a large, predatory seabird of the southern oceans. Its range overlaps broadly with the range of the related southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus), albeit slightly further to the north.
Taxonomy
The northern giant petrel was
The two giant petrel species make up the genus
Description
The northern giant petrel averages 90 cm (35 in) in length, with a range of 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in), possessing a wingspan of 150 to 210 cm (59 to 83 in). Size is somewhat variable and this species is broadly the same size as its southern sister species. The largest-bodied colony is in the South Georgia Islands, where 56 males averaged 4.9 kg (11 lb) and 43 females average 3.72 kg (8.2 lb).[10] The smallest-bodied are on the Chatham Islands, where 19 males averaged 3.66 kg (8.1 lb) and 21 females averaged 2.83 kg (6.2 lb).[11] Overall, weight for the species can range from 2.5 to 5.8 kg (5.5 to 12.8 lb).[10][11] Its plumage consists of grey-brown body with lighter coloured forehead, sides of face, and chin. Its bill is between 90 and 110 mm (3.5–4.3 in) long, slightly longer on average than the southern giant petrel, and is pinkish yellow with a brown tip. Its eyes are grey. The tarsus of the northern giant petrel is slightly longer on average than the southern species, but the southern has longer wings on average.[11] The juvenile Macronectes halli is entirely dark brown and lightens as it ages. It can be differentiated from Macronectes giganteus by the top of the bill, which on the southern species is green.[12]
Distribution and habitat
The northern giant petrel is
Behaviour
Feeding
The northern giant petrel feeds mainly on
Northern giant petrels forage in similar locations to southern giant petrels, but at different times due to the earlier breeding season of northern giant petrels. It is thought this temporal segregation in habitat-use reduces interspecific competition, whilst sexual segregation, due to females making more pelagic trips than males, reduces intraspecific competition.[13]
Breeding
Birds start breeding at an average age of ten years, and breed on islands in colonies, which they share with the southern giant petrel. They breed six weeks earlier than their counterparts.[12]
Conservation
Location | Population | Date | Trend |
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South Georgia |
4,500 pairs | 2005 | Increasing 30% per 20 yr |
Forty-Fours |
2,000 pairs | 2000 | |
Middle Sister |
80–100 pairs | 2000 | |
Kerguelen Islands | 1,450–1,800 pairs | 1989 | |
Crozet Islands | 1,300 pairs | 1989 | Decreasing |
Macquarie Island | 1,300 pairs | Stable or increasing | |
Prince Edward Islands | 650 pairs | Increasing | |
Antipodes Island |
230 pairs | 2003 | |
Campbell Island | 230 pairs | 2000 | |
Auckland Islands | 50 pairs | 2000 | |
Total | 17,000–21,000 | 2001 | Increasing 34% per 10 yr |
In a 2001 estimate, this species had between 17,000 and 21,000 mature birds. This number has been increasing over the last two decades, after being expected to decrease. The
Currently, this bird is listed on
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Mathews, Gregory M. (1912). The Birds of Australia. Vol. 2. London: Witherby. p. 187.
- ^ Hall, Robert (1900). "Field-notes on the birds of Kerguelen Island". Ibis. 7th series. 6: 1–34 [27].
- Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2022). "Petrels, albatrosses". IOC World Bird List Version 12.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Matt. 14:28–31
- ^ Gotch, A. T. (1995)
- ^ Double, M. C. (2003)
- ^ Ehrlich, Paul R. (1988)
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4200-6444-5.
- ^ a b c Carlos, C. J., & Voisin, J. F. (2008). Identifying giant petrels, Macronectes giganteus and M. halli, in the field and in the hand. Publishing Editor, 1.
- ^ a b c d e f g BirdLife International (2009)
- .
Sources
- BirdLife International (2009). "Northern Giant-petrel - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Data Zone. Retrieved 17 Jul 2009.
- Brooke, M. (2004). "Procellariidae". Albatrosses And Petrels Across The World. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-850125-0.
- Double, M. C. (2003). "Procellariiformes (Tubenosed Seabirds)". In Hutchins, Michael; Jackson, Jerome A.; Bock, Walter J.; Olendorf, Donna (eds.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins. Joseph E. Trumpey, Chief Scientific Illustrator (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 107–111. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0.
- Ehrlich, Paul R.; Dobkin, David, S.; Wheye, Darryl (1988). The Birders Handbook (First ed.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. pp. 29–31. ISBN 0-671-65989-8.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - Gotch, A. F. (1995) [1979]. "Albatrosses, Fulmars, Shearwaters, and Petrels". Latin Names Explained A Guide to the Scientific Classifications of Reptiles, Birds & Mammals. New York, NY: Facts on File. p. 190. ISBN 0-8160-3377-3.
External links
- Species factsheet by BirdLife International
- Photos by Christopher Taylor Nature Photography
- Southern and Northern Giant Petrels - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
- Northern giant petrel discussed in RNZ Critter of the Week, 7 July 2017