Northern Giant Petrel – scavenges on the subantarctic slopes

scavenges on the subantarctic slopes

Size: Length: 85-95 cm, Weight: 3.5-5.0 kg
Lifespan: 25-35 years
Diet: Carnivorous and scavenging - feeds on carrion fish squid krill and seabird eggs and chicks. Follows fishing vessels. Steals from other seabirds.
Habitat: Open subantarctic and Antarctic oceans. Breeds on remote islands in grassy slopes tussock grasslands and herbfields. Nests on the ground.
Range: Circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters. Breeds on South Georgia Prince Edward Crozet Kerguelen and New Zealand's subantarctic islands. Widespread at sea.
Endemism: Migratory Native
Main Threats: Incidental bycatch in longline and trawl fisheries. Climate change affecting prey distribution. Introduced predators on breeding islands.
Population: Global population estimated at 10000-15000 breeding pairs. In New Zealand breeds on subantarctic islands including the Aucklands Campbell and Antipodes.
Conservation Status: At Risk - Declining
Human Risk: caution
Handling Note: large aggressive seabird, will strike with beak if threatened
Conservation Note: Native seabird breeding on subantarctic islands; declining due to fisheries bycatch and disease.
Assessment: NZTCS Birds (2021)
Te Ao Māori: The northern giant petrel has no recognised Māori name. It belongs to the wider family of petrels known as ōi. In Māori tradition petrels were birds of the open ocean. Their presence at sea was seen as a sign of good fishing. The giant petrel with its scavenging habits was seen differently. It was a cleaner of the shores. A necessary part of the ecosystem. This role was understood. The bird removed waste. It kept the coast clear. Its value lay in its function. Not in its beauty.

A large aggressive scavenger that looks like an albatross that fell into a vat of brown dye. The northern giant petrel is uniformly dark grey-brown. It has a pale bill and a pale eye. It is bulky heavy and built to bully. It is not elegant. It does not need to be. Elegance is for birds that do not fight for their meals. This bird fights. It wins. It feeds on carrion fish squid and krill. It follows fishing vessels. It steals from other seabirds. It eats dead seals. It eats dead penguins. It eats anything it can find. A giant petrel at a carcass is a messy eater. It tears. It gulps. It fights with other giant petrels over the best bits. The behaviour is brutal. It is also efficient. Waste is not an option. The flight is heavy and laboured. Slow deep wingbeats carry the weight. A northern giant petrel in the air looks like it is working hard. It is. It is not built for grace. It is built for endurance. It covers distance through effort not style. The sky is a workplace. The bird clocks in. Breeding takes it to remote subantarctic islands. The nest is a scrape in grass or tussock. Sometimes it is lined with vegetation. A single white egg is laid. Both parents share incubation. The chick grows slowly. It fledges at about four months. It is fed on regurgitated carrion and fish oil. The diet is rich. The growth is steady. Survival is the goal. The northern giant petrel is closely related to the southern giant petrel. They look similar. The northern has a pale tip to the bill. The southern has a greenish bill. That is the main difference. Identification requires attention to detail. The colour of the bill matters. The rest is bulk and noise. In New Zealand northern giant petrels breed on the subantarctic islands. The populations are small. The birds are vulnerable. They are also aggressive. A giant petrel defending its nest will not back down. It hisses. It strikes. The defence is immediate. It is effective. The northern giant petrel is a scavenger. It cleans up the dead. That is an important job. Without giant petrels the beaches would be full of rotting seals. The service is unpleasant. It is necessary. Nature relies on cleaners. This bird is one of them. The call is a low groaning croak. It is often heard at the colony. It is not pleasant. It does not need to be. It serves a function. It marks territory. It warns intruders. The northern giant petrel is not a bird that inspires affection. It is a bird that inspires respect. It survives where others cannot. It endures the cold. It endures the hunger. It endures the violence. It carries on.