Taxon Profile: Macronectes giganteus

Taxonomy details

Context

Taxon Id
1060
Common Name
Southern Giant Petrel
Authority
Gmelin,1789
Naming Status
Currently accepted name
Status
Found in the Antarctica/subantarctic or Southern Ocean
See map of extents
Taxon has been resolved to the rank Species.

Hierarchy

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Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Procellariiformes
Family
Procellariidae
Genus
Macronectes

©AAD, Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 1999
Catalogue id
3673D6
Photographer
Papps, Wayne

Profile

Source of taxon data
CAVS
Latest Taxonomic scrutiny
CAVS 8.1 on 3-Jun-1994
Comments
CAVS 8.1 update:03-JUN-94

Species Profile:

Biology

Additional Information Both species of Giant Petrel swim on the water capturing cephalopods, fish and crustaceans during winter months. They also regularly follow ships for galley refuse. Southern Giant Petrels hatch one white egg from October onwards each year. The chicks fledge between early February to April.

Taxon Biology

Diet and Feeding
Diet and feeding details
Southern Giant Petrels are predatory scavengers. They feed on dead penguins, petrels, eggs and chicks. In October each year they gather at seal pupping grounds to feed on carcass remains and mammal placentas.
Habitat
Includes realm (e.g. Terrestrial etc) and climatic information (e.g. Boreal); also includes requirements and tolerances; horizontal and vertical distribution;
Southern Giant Petrels are found throughout the Southern Ocean and breed on many Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands. Adults frequent Antarctic waters all year.

Relationships with other taxa

Traits

CCAMLR FishLog Database species identifier CCAMLR FishLog Database species identifier MAI

Species belongs to the following lists - Follow link on List Name to see list of all species.