May 10, 2020 - Grey Petrel, Pediunker, Kuia, Brown Petrel, Black-tailed Shearwater, Black-tailed Petrel (Procellaria cinerea)
Breeding on Antipodes, Campbell, Macquarie, Gough, Marion, and Prince Edward Islands, as well as Iles Crozet, and the Kerguelen and Tristan da Cunha island groups, these large petrels are found in much of the southern ocean. They eat squid, fish, and crustaceans, capturing prey at the water’s surface or during shallow dives and sometimes following fishing boats to feed on scraps. Breeding in colonies, monogamous pairs nest in burrows on steep slopes. Both parents incubate the single egg and feed the chick, usually visiting the colonies after dark. They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to population declines from being unintentionally caught in fisheries and from invasive species on their breeding islands.
