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Photo: James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

South Georgia Diving Petrel

Pelecanoides georgicus

South Georgia Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.

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The South Georgia Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 121 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Procellariiformes
  3. Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
  4. Genus Pelecanoides
  5. Species georgicus

Where it lives

Islands of subantarctic Atlantic, Indian and southwestern Pacific oceans from South Georgia to Heard (south-central South Indian Ocean) and Codfish I. (=Whenua Hou, northwest of Stewart I., New Zealand)

Quick facts

Weight
121 g

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The South Georgia Diving Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The South Georgia Diving Petrel is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The South Georgia Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus) is a member of the Procellariidae family, within the order Procellariiformes. It occurs naturally across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers SO islands of subantarctic Atlantic, Indian and sw Pacific oceans from South Georgia to Heard (sc South Indian Ocean) and Codfish I. (=Whenua Hou, nw of Stewart I., New Zealand).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 121 g, with a wing length of about 11.1 cm and a tail of around 4.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 8.7 million km².

Songs & calls

South Georgia Diving Petrel — Call, song

Recorded by Johannes Fischer Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the South Georgia Diving Petrel?

The South Georgia Diving Petrel is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 121 g.

Where does the South Georgia Diving Petrel live?

The South Georgia Diving Petrel is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering SO islands of subantarctic Atlantic, Indian and sw Pacific oceans from South Georgia to Heard (sc South Indian Ocean) and Codfish I. (=Whenua Hou, nw of Stewart I., New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the South Georgia Diving Petrel belong to?

The South Georgia Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.

What does the South Georgia Diving Petrel eat?

The South Georgia Diving Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the South Georgia Diving Petrel migrate?

The South Georgia Diving Petrel is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the South Georgia Diving Petrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the South Georgia Diving Petrel make?

1 real field recording of the South Georgia Diving Petrel — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the South Georgia Diving Petrel's range?

The South Georgia Diving Petrel has a mapped global range of about 8.7 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

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