Grey Petrel
Encyclopedia
The Grey Petrel also called the Brown Petrel, Pediunker or Grey Shearwater is a species of seabird
in the Procellariidae
, or petrel
family
. It occurs in the open seas of the Southern Hemisphere
, mainly between 49°S and 32°S.
genus
, and in turn is member of the Procellariidae
family, and the Procellariiformes
order
. As a member of the Procellariiformes, they share certain identifying features. First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called naricorns. Although the nostrils on the Prion are on top of the upper bill. The bills of Procellariiformes are also unique in that they are split into between 7 and 9 horny plates. They produce a stomach oil made up of wax ester
s and triglycerides that is stored in the proventriculus
. This is used against predators as well as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights. Finally, they also have a salt gland that is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their bodies, due to the high amount of ocean water that they imbibe. It excretes a high saline solution from their nose.
The Grey Petrel has been called the Pediunker, Grey Shearwater, and Brown Petrel.
words, procella meaning a storm and arius a suffix meaning pertaining to. This is in reference to their association with stormy weather. The word Petrel is derived from St. Peter and the story of his walking on water. This is in reference to the Petrels habit of appearing to run on the water to take off.
. They average 48 cm (18.9 in) in length and weighs 1000 g (35.3 oz). They have brownish-grey mantle, back, uppertail coverts, and upperwings. They have a white belly, and underwings and under-tail that are ash-grey. They have a yellow-green bill
and a pink-grey feet.
It breeds on Tristan da Cunha
, Gough Island
, the Prince Edward Islands
, Crozet Islands
, Kerguelen Islands
, Macquarie Island
and on New Zealand
's Campbell
and Antipodes Islands
.
tussock grass, typically on steep terrain. By late March or early April, they lay their one egg
, with both birds incubating
it. After hatching, the chick is cared for by both birds until it fledges from late September to early December.
with 10,000 pairs are the biggest colonies, with others on Prince Edward Island
, Marion Island, Tristan da Cunha
, Crozet Islands
, Kerguelen Islands
, Amsterdam Island, Campbell Island
, and Macquarie Island
. They have an occurrence range of 68800000 km² (26,563,829 sq mi).
waters, with one estimate at 45,000 birds in the last 20 years. Other predators, such as Gallirallus australis, and Mus musculus.
To assist in maintaining or increasing its population, it has been placed on CMS Appendix II
, and ACAP Annex1
. Gough Island
has been designated as a World Heritage Site
. Antipodes Island has had preliminary work done to start long term monitoring, and in 2007 the monitoring started. In 2001, Rattus norvegicus was eradicated from Campbell Island, and in 2006, SEAFO
tightened longline regulations.
In the future, numerous tasks are planned , starting with a census on all the breeding locations. Also, studies on Gough Island
pertaining to Mus musculus, and finally, stricter fishing regulations enforced by FAO
, RFMO, and ACAP
.
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
in the Procellariidae
Procellariidae
The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes , which also includes the albatrosses, the storm-petrels, and the diving petrels.The procellariids are...
, or petrel
Petrel
Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
. It occurs in the open seas of the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, mainly between 49°S and 32°S.
Taxonomy
The Grey Petrel is a member of the ProcellariaProcellaria
Procellaria is a genus of southern ocean long-winged seabirds related to prions and a member of the Procellariiformes order.-Taxonomy:Procellaria is a member of the family Procellariidae and the order procellariiformes. As members of Procellariiformes, they share certain characteristics. First they...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, and in turn is member of the Procellariidae
Procellariidae
The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes , which also includes the albatrosses, the storm-petrels, and the diving petrels.The procellariids are...
family, and the Procellariiformes
Procellariiformes
Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels...
order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
. As a member of the Procellariiformes, they share certain identifying features. First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called naricorns. Although the nostrils on the Prion are on top of the upper bill. The bills of Procellariiformes are also unique in that they are split into between 7 and 9 horny plates. They produce a stomach oil made up of wax ester
Wax ester
An ester of a fatty acid and a long-chain alcohol. These oils have similar properties as triglycerides, but are indigestible. They are found in some fish such as orange roughy, oilfish, escolar, black oreo, smooth oreo and other deep water fish. They are also present in marine copepods. Wax...
s and triglycerides that is stored in the proventriculus
Proventriculus
The proventriculus is part of the digestive system of birds, invertebrates and insects.-Birds:The proventriculus is a standard part of avian anatomy...
. This is used against predators as well as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights. Finally, they also have a salt gland that is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their bodies, due to the high amount of ocean water that they imbibe. It excretes a high saline solution from their nose.
The Grey Petrel has been called the Pediunker, Grey Shearwater, and Brown Petrel.
Etymology
Procellaria comes from two LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words, procella meaning a storm and arius a suffix meaning pertaining to. This is in reference to their association with stormy weather. The word Petrel is derived from St. Peter and the story of his walking on water. This is in reference to the Petrels habit of appearing to run on the water to take off.
| Location | Population | Date | Trend |
| Gough Island Gough Island Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha... |
10,000+ pair | 2004 | Decreasing |
| Total Tristan da Cunha Tristan da Cunha Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America... |
10,000+ pair | 2004 | |
| Marion Island | 1,600 pair | ||
| Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population... |
2,000—5,000 pair | ||
| Kerguelen Islands Kerguelen Islands The Kerguelen Islands , also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean constituting the emerged part of the otherwise submerged Kerguelen Plateau. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands and the Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands are part of... |
2,000—5,000 pair | ||
| Crozet Island | 2,000—5,000 pair | ||
| Amsterdam Island | 10 pair | ||
| Campbell Island Campbell Island, New Zealand Campbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the... |
100—600 pair | ||
| Macquarie Island Macquarie Island Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world heritage... |
59—80 pair | Declining | |
| Antipodes Island | 53,000 pair | 2001 | Declining |
| Total Adults | 400,000 | 2004 | Decreasing |
Description
The Grey Petrel is a large grey, white, and brown PetrelPetrel
Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group...
. They average 48 cm (18.9 in) in length and weighs 1000 g (35.3 oz). They have brownish-grey mantle, back, uppertail coverts, and upperwings. They have a white belly, and underwings and under-tail that are ash-grey. They have a yellow-green bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
and a pink-grey feet.
Feeding
They will dive from heights up to 10 m (32.8 ft) when getting food.It breeds on Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
, Gough Island
Gough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
, the Prince Edward Islands
Prince Edward Islands
The Prince Edward Islands are two small islands in the sub-antarctic Indian Ocean that are part of South Africa. The islands, named Marion Island and Prince Edward Island, are located at ....
, Crozet Islands
Crozet Islands
The Crozet Islands are a sub-antarctic archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean. They form one of the five administrative districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.-Geography:...
, Kerguelen Islands
Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands , also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean constituting the emerged part of the otherwise submerged Kerguelen Plateau. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands and the Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands are part of...
, Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world heritage...
and on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's Campbell
Campbell Island, New Zealand
Campbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the...
and Antipodes Islands
Antipodes Islands
The Antipodes Islands are inhospitable volcanic islands to the south of—and territorially part of—New Zealand...
.
Breeding
Grey Petrels return to their breeding grounds in February and March and build a burrow for a nest. These burrows are on well-drained ground, overrun with PoaPoa
Poa is a genus of about 500 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass , bluegrass , tussock , and speargrass. "Poa" is Greek for fodder...
tussock grass, typically on steep terrain. By late March or early April, they lay their one egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, with both birds incubating
Avian incubation
Incubation refers to the process by which certain oviparous animals hatch their eggs, and to the development of the embryo within the egg. The most vital factor of incubation is the constant temperature required for its development over a specific period. Especially in domestic fowl, the act of...
it. After hatching, the chick is cared for by both birds until it fledges from late September to early December.
Range and habitat
Grey Petrels are pelagic and typically stay within 49°S and 32°S during non-breeding season. During breeding season, they form colonies on several islands. Antipodes Island, with an estimate of 53,000 pairs, and Gough IslandGough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
with 10,000 pairs are the biggest colonies, with others on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Marion Island, Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a remote volcanic group of islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying from the nearest land, South Africa, and from South America...
, Crozet Islands
Crozet Islands
The Crozet Islands are a sub-antarctic archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean. They form one of the five administrative districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.-Geography:...
, Kerguelen Islands
Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands , also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean constituting the emerged part of the otherwise submerged Kerguelen Plateau. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands and the Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands are part of...
, Amsterdam Island, Campbell Island
Campbell Island, New Zealand
Campbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the...
, and Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world heritage...
. They have an occurrence range of 68800000 km² (26,563,829 sq mi).
Conservation
There is not a lot of recent information about this bird, but its population is believed to be shrinking slowly at least and possibly rapidly. Introduced predators such as Domestic Cats, Rattus norvegicus, and Rattus rattus are contributing to the decline, as well as longline fishing, which is a major problem. This bird is the most commonly caught by-catch by longline fisheries in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
waters, with one estimate at 45,000 birds in the last 20 years. Other predators, such as Gallirallus australis, and Mus musculus.
To assist in maintaining or increasing its population, it has been placed on CMS Appendix II
Conservation management system
A conservation management system is a procedure for maintaining a species or habitat in a particular state. It is a means whereby humankind secures wildlife in a favourable condition for contemplation, education or research, in perpetuity. It is an important topic in cultural ecology, where...
, and ACAP Annex1
Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels
The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels is a legally binding international treaty signed in 2001.It was created in order to halt the drastic decline of seabird populations in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly albatrosses and procellariids...
. Gough Island
Gough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
has been designated as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Antipodes Island has had preliminary work done to start long term monitoring, and in 2007 the monitoring started. In 2001, Rattus norvegicus was eradicated from Campbell Island, and in 2006, SEAFO
South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation
The South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation is an organization that maintains controls over fishing and fishing related acts is the Southeastern Atlantic Ocean.-Introduction:...
tightened longline regulations.
In the future, numerous tasks are planned , starting with a census on all the breeding locations. Also, studies on Gough Island
Gough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
pertaining to Mus musculus, and finally, stricter fishing regulations enforced by FAO
Fão
Fão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
, RFMO, and ACAP
Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels
The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels is a legally binding international treaty signed in 2001.It was created in order to halt the drastic decline of seabird populations in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly albatrosses and procellariids...
.