Petrels fighting Northern giant petrel Macronectes halli Mathews, 1912
Giant petrels are large fulmarine petrels, the size of a mollymawk, with a large wingspan and huge bill. Although they resemble mollymawks and albatrosses, they are more closely related to five smaller fulmarine petrel species, including the Antarctic fulmar, Cape petrel and snow petrel. They have two large tube nostrils that are joined together on the top of the huge bill, in contrast to those of albatrosses which are smaller and separated, lying one on each side of the bill. Giant petrels' wings are shorter than mollymawks' and albatross', relative to body length. There are two species of giant petrel, both with circumpolar distributions, and both of which occur in New Zealand waters. The northern giant petrel breeds at four New Zealand subantarctic island groups, while the nearest breeding site of the southern giant petrel is Macquarie Island. An estimated 2,570 pairs of northern giant petrels breed in New Zealand annually, before dispersing to temperate and subtropical seas during winter. They are aggressive and opportunistic seabirds that scavenge penguin, albatross, seal and whale carrion, ship offal and kelp. They prey on penguin and albatross chicks and other seabirds up to the size of an adult albatross. They also take fish and squid from the sea surface.
Size: 3794px × 2479px
Location: Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand
Photo credit: © Michael Lidski / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: fight, giant, halli, kaikoura, lidski, macronectes, mathews, michael, northern, petrel, zealand
