Southern Giant Petrel
Macronectes giganteus
The Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) is a uncommon petrels, shearwaters, and diving petrel found in 13 countries, weighing about 3.6 kg. The southern giant petrel, also known as the Antarctic giant petrel, giant fulmar, stinker, and stinkpot, is a large seabird of the southern oceans.
About the Southern Giant Petrel
The southern giant petrel, also known as the Antarctic giant petrel, giant fulmar, stinker, and stinkpot, is a large seabird of the southern oceans. Its distribution overlaps broadly with the similar northern giant petrel, though it overall is centered slightly further south. Adults of the two species can be distinguished by the colour of their bill-tip: greenish in the southern and reddish in the northern.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The southern giant petrel measures 86 to 99 cm (34–39 in) with a wingspan of 185 to 205 cm (6 ft 1 in – 6 ft 9 in). Both this and the northern giant petrel vary considerably in size, with southern colonies averaging larger than northern colonies, in line with Bergmann's rule. Due to the large amount of size variability, it is difficult to determine which is the larger species, but the largest-bodied colonies of the southern species are slightly larger on average, in both mass and linear dimensions, than the largest in the northern giant petrel.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Norway.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, July, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Watch the Southern Giant Petrel on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Southern Giant Petrel?
- The southern giant petrel measures 86 to 99 cm (34–39 in) with a wingspan of 185 to 205 cm (6 ft 1 in – 6 ft 9 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Southern Giant Petrel?
- The Southern Giant Petrel is a huge sized bird weighing about 3.6 kg.
- Where can you see a Southern Giant Petrel?
- The Southern Giant Petrel occurs in 13 countries, including Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, Australia and New Zealand.
- What birds look similar to a Southern Giant Petrel?
- The Southern Giant Petrel is most easily confused with the Northern Giant Petrel.
- Is the Southern Giant Petrel endangered?
- The Southern Giant Petrel is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Southern Giant Petrel for real
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