Birds · Procellariiformes · Procellariidae

Antarctic Petrel

Thalassoica antarctica

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Antarctic petrel is a seabird boldly patterned in brown and white, endemic to Antarctic waters. It breeds in colonies on cliffs and nunataks on the continent, some of them more than two hundred kilometres from the coast, and feeds on krill, squid and fish at the ice edge. A single colony in the Svarthamaren mountains, in Queen Maud Land, holds hundreds of thousands of pairs.

Weight

500 g – 800 g

Size

40 cm – 46 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanPolarCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Polar

6countries 10parks10same family

Fun facts

The Svarthamaren colony, deep in the Antarctic interior, holds more than 200,000 pairs 200 kilometres from the nearest sea: the adults make round trips of more than four hundred kilometres to bring food to a single chick.
Like other petrels, it defends itself by spitting a foul-smelling stomach oil that mats the attacker's plumage, which is especially dangerous for another seabird, as it can lose its waterproofing.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: The waters of the Antarctic pack ice; it breeds on cliffs and nunataks of the Antarctic continent
Sexual maturity: 6 years
Gestation / incubation: 45 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 1 egg

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/