About the Grey Petrel
The grey petrel, also called the gray petrel, brown petrel, pediunker or grey shearwater, is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae, or petrel family. It is pelagic and occurs in the open seas of the Southern Hemisphere, mainly between 32°S and 58°S.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The grey petrel is a large grey, white, and brown petrel. It averages 50 cm (20 in) in length, 115–130 cm (45–51 in) in wingspan and weighs around 1,000 g (35 oz). It has a brownish-grey mantle, back, uppertail coverts, and upperwings. The belly is white and the underwings and under-tail that are ash-grey. It has a yellow-green bill and pink-grey feet. As a member of the Procellariiformes, it shares that order's identifying features. First, these birds have nasal passages called naricorns that attach to the upper bill.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa, Chile, Réunion.
When to see it
Peak activity in March · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Spectacled PetrelProcellaria conspicillataThe spectacled petrel is a large, approximately 55 cm (22 in) in length, predominately black petrel.
Black PetrelProcellaria parkinsoniThe plumage of the black petrel is all black, as are its legs and bill except for pale sections on the bill.
Westland PetrelProcellaria westlandicaThe adult Westland petrel is a stocky bird, weighing around 1,100 grams (39 oz).
Learn the Grey Petrel for real
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