Photo: Sabine's Sunbird / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Seabirds & Tubenoses

Grey-faced Petrel

Pterodroma gouldi

Grey-faced Petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of New Zealand Birds of the United States Birds of South Africa Birds of New South Wales Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Petrels & Shearwaters of Australia Petrels & Shearwaters of New Zealand Petrels & Shearwaters of the United States Petrels & Shearwaters of South Africa Petrels & Shearwaters of New South Wales Petrels & Shearwaters of Queensland Petrels & Shearwaters of South Australia Petrels & Shearwaters of Tasmania Petrels & Shearwaters of Victoria Petrels & Shearwaters of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Grey-faced Petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 532 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Genus Pterodroma
Species gouldi

Where it lives

Islets off northern North I. (New Zealand)

Oceans & Seabirds

Quick facts

Weight: 532 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Procellariidae
Order: Procellariiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Grey-faced Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

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

The Grey-faced Petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) belongs to the Procellariidae family of the order Procellariiformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers SO islets off n North I. (New Zealand).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 532 g, with a wing length of about 31.3 cm and a tail of around 13.4 cm.

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

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 16.4 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Grey-faced Petrel — Call

Recorded by Jon Davies Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Grey-faced Petrel?

The Grey-faced Petrel is a large bird that weighs around 532 g.

Where does the Grey-faced Petrel live?

The Grey-faced Petrel is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering SO islets off n North I. (New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Grey-faced Petrel belong to?

The Grey-faced Petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.

What does the Grey-faced Petrel eat?

The Grey-faced Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Grey-faced Petrel migrate?

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

Is the Grey-faced 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 Grey-faced Petrel make?

1 real field recording of the Grey-faced 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 Grey-faced Petrel's range?

The Grey-faced Petrel has a mapped global range of about 16.4 million km².