Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey Petrel
Procellaria cinerea
Grey Petrel (Procellaria cinerea) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey Petrel (Procellaria cinerea) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 1.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
- Genus Procellaria
- Species cinerea
Where it lives
Islets of southern temperate and subantarctic oceans from Inaccessible and Gough (central South Atlantic Ocean) to Macquarie (far southeast of Australia), Antipodes (southeast of Stewart I.) and Campbell is. (south of South I.; New Zealand)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey 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 Petrel is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Grey Petrel (Procellaria cinerea) belongs to the Procellariidae family of the order Procellariiformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers SO islets of s temperate and subantarctic oceans from Inaccessible and Gough (c South Atlantic Ocean) to Macquarie (far se of Australia), Antipodes (se of Stewart I.) and Campbell is. (s of South I.; New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.1 kg, with a wing length of about 32.6 cm and a tail of around 10 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 83 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey Petrel?
The Grey Petrel is a very large bird that weighs around 1.1 kg.
Where does the Grey Petrel live?
The Grey Petrel is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering SO islets of s temperate and subantarctic oceans from Inaccessible and Gough (c South Atlantic Ocean) to Macquarie (far se of Australia), Antipodes (se of Stewart I.) and Campbell is. (s of South I.; New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Grey Petrel belong to?
The Grey Petrel (Procellaria cinerea) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Grey Petrel eat?
The Grey Petrel hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Grey Petrel migrate?
The Grey Petrel is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Grey Petrel endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Grey Petrel make?
1 real field recording of the Grey Petrel — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey Petrel's range?
The Grey Petrel has a mapped global range of about 83 million km².
Conservation
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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