Antarctic Petrel

Thalassoica antarctica (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

Antarctic Petrel, Thalassoica antarctica, is a petrel of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, breeding on islets, coasts and sites up to 300 km inland. Outside the breeding season it stays mostly near ice south of the Antarctic Convergence. It is a member of the Procellariidae in the order Procellariiformes. The adult has a dark brown bill and grey feet, with brown on the head, sides, throat and back, white underparts, and white tail and wing secondaries tipped with brown. It feeds on krill, fish and small squid, taking food from the surface and also diving from the air or while swimming.

Order

Procellariiformes

Family

Procellariidae — Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels

Breeding range

Southern Ocean, Antarctica: islets, coasts and to 300 km inland in Antarctica

Nonbreeding range

Southern Ocean mostly near ice, s of Antarctic Convergence