The great-winged petrel is a petrel living and breeding in the world's Southern Ocean.
Region
Southern Ocean
Typical Environment
Breeds on subantarctic islands of the southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans, including archipelagos such as the Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen, and Amsterdam–St Paul groups. Outside the breeding season it disperses widely over pelagic waters, occurring off southern Africa and southern Australia and across the southern Indian Ocean. At sea it remains far from land, favoring open-ocean waters beyond the continental shelf. On land it uses vegetated slopes and coastal headlands with suitable soil for burrowing.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The great-winged petrel is a large, dark Pterodroma that roams widely across the Southern Ocean outside the breeding season. It nests in burrows on remote subantarctic islands and visits colonies mostly at night. Like many petrels, it is long-lived and highly philopatric, returning to the same breeding sites each year.
Temperament
solitary and pelagic
Flight Pattern
dynamic soaring with long glides and few deep wingbeats
Social Behavior
Breeds in loose to dense colonies, nesting in burrows or rock crevices. Pairs are monogamous and typically lay a single egg per season. Adults visit colonies mostly at night to reduce predation risk and disturbance.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
At sea it is mostly silent, but around colonies it gives mournful wails, cackles, and chattering calls at night. Vocalizations are used for pair contact and territorial signaling at burrow entrances.
Plumage
Mostly uniform sooty-brown with slightly paler panels on the upperwing and a subtle pale flash on the underwing coverts.
Diet
Feeds mainly on squid, small fish, and crustaceans, often taking prey from the surface or just below it. It may associate with oceanic fronts where prey concentrates and will sometimes follow ships to scavenge discards. Foraging is typically by surface-seizing, dipping, and short pursuit plunges.
Preferred Environment
Prefers deep pelagic waters beyond the continental shelf and along productive frontal zones. Rarely approaches coasts except near breeding islands.
