Birds diurnal

Southern Giant Petrel

Macronectes giganteus

The formidable 'Vulture of the Sea,' the Southern Giant Petrel is a massive ocean wanderer known for its seven-foot wingspan and bold, scavenging nature. A true icon of the wild southern coastlines, these birds are as powerful on land as they are in the air.

2 Sightings

1 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

Wingspan of 150 to 210 cm (4.9 to 6.9 ft); length 86 to 99 cm (34 to 39 in); weight 3.8 to 5 kg (8.4 to 11 lbs)

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Colors

Mottled grey-brown body with a paler head and neck; roughly 10% are a rare 'white morph' which is entirely white with scattered black feathers. The bill is straw-colored with a distinct greenish tip.

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Key Features

Massive, pale bill with a prominent 'tube-nose' and greenish tip
Huge wingspan with long, narrow wings typical of petrels
Hunched, powerful stance when standing on land
Large, dark eyes that contrast against a paler face

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours 6 AM - 8 PM (Most active during daylight for foraging and coastal scavenging)

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Season October-March (During the breeding and chick-rearing season)

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Diet Omnivorous scavengers and predators; they eat seal and penguin carrion, fish, squid, and often prey on the chicks of other seabirds.

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Habitat Southern oceans and sub-Antarctic islands; frequently found near coastal seal colonies, penguin rookeries, and fishing ports.

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Behavior

Southern Giant Petrels are the undisputed 'vultures of the sea.' While most petrels are graceful ocean-dwellers, these birds are equally formidable on land, using their powerful legs to walk and even run across rocky shores or ice. They are highly opportunistic and often aggressive, especially when competing for food. You will often see them with their wings partially spread in a 'threat display' to ward off other birds from a carcass.

Socially, they are fascinating to watch at breeding colonies, where they form long-term pair bonds. Unlike many other seabirds, they are quite bold around humans in coastal environments, though they are famous for their defense mechanism: they can spit a foul-smelling stomach oil at perceived threats, which gives them the nickname 'Stinkpot.'

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Camera Tips

To capture the majesty of a Southern Giant Petrel on your wildlife camera, location is everything. If you live in a coastal area within their southern range, focus your efforts on rocky outcroppings or beach-fronts where kelp and sea debris wash up. These birds are scavengers by nature, so they are drawn to areas where the tide brings in potential meals. Position your camera on a sturdy tripod or mount it low to the ground—about 18 to 24 inches high—to get an eye-level perspective of their powerful gait as they walk across the shoreline.

Because they are large birds, wide-angle lenses are preferred to capture their full wingspan if they take flight near the camera. If you are using a trigger-based camera, set the sensitivity to high and the burst mode to at least 3-5 photos. Their movements can be deceptively fast, especially when they are squabbling over food or taking off into the wind. If your camera allows for video, 60fps is ideal to capture the fluid motion of their massive wings.

Lighting can be tricky on the coast. Try to position the camera with the sun at your back to highlight the subtle mottled patterns of their plumage and the characteristic green tip of their bill. Avoid pointing the camera directly at the bright ocean to prevent silhouetting. While we never recommend baiting wild animals with processed food, placing a camera near natural occurrences like a washed-up fish or near a known penguin colony (from a respectful distance) will significantly increase your chances of a close-up encounter.

Finally, remember that these birds are most active when the wind is up. High-wind days provide the lift they need to soar effortlessly. Secure your camera housing extra tightly, as coastal winds can be brutal. If you are lucky enough to spot a white-morph individual, ensure your exposure settings are dialed back slightly to prevent blowing out the highlights on their snowy feathers.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Southern Giant Petrel.

Northern Giant Petrel

Virtually identical in size, but has a reddish-brown tip on the bill instead of green.

Wandering Albatross

Much larger wingspan and lacks the bulky, hooked bill and aggressive scavenging behavior on land.

Southern Fulmar

Significantly smaller and looks more like a gull, though it shares the 'tube-nose' feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Giant Petrels are primarily diurnal, meaning they are most active during daylight hours. They use the sun and wind currents to help them forage over the ocean and are frequently seen scavenging along coastlines from dawn until dusk.

Unless your 'backyard' is a coastal property in the Southern Hemisphere, you likely won't see them. In coastal areas, they are naturally attracted to fish scraps and seal colonies. We recommend observing them in their natural habitat rather than trying to lure them with artificial food sources.

They have a very diverse diet, acting as both scavengers and predators. They feed on the carcasses of seals and penguins, but also hunt live prey like fish, squid, and the chicks of other bird species. They are also known to follow fishing vessels for discarded bycatch.

They are rarely found in inland suburban areas. However, in coastal towns near the Southern Ocean, such as in parts of New Zealand, Australia, or South America, they may be spotted near harbors, piers, and fishing docks where food is abundant.

The most reliable way to distinguish the two is by looking at the tip of the bill (the unguis). The Southern Giant Petrel has a pale greenish bill-tip, whereas the Northern Giant Petrel has a reddish-brown bill-tip.

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