Southern Giant Petrel
Macronectes giganteus (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Procellariidae — Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Southern Giant Petrel, Macronectes giganteus, breeds on islands and coasts around the Southern Ocean, from southern Chile and Argentina through Antarctica to Heard Island and Macquarie Island. Outside the breeding season it ranges widely through all southern oceans and cold currents, reaching northwards and often appearing south of the Antarctic Convergence, frequently along beaches. It is a Procellariiform seabird in the petrel family. Adults can be told from the northern giant petrel by the greenish bill-tip. The species was described by Gmelin in 1789 and has no recognised subspecies.
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Procellariidae — Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
- Breeding range
- Southern Ocean, Antarctica: is. and coasts of s Chile and Argentina and Antarctica to Heard (sc Indian Ocean) and Macquarie is. (far se of Australia)
- Nonbreeding range
- widespread in all s oceans and cold currents to n, often s of Antarctic Convergence, often along beaches
