Grey Petrel
A species of Procellaria Petrels Scientific name : Procellaria cinerea Genus : Procellaria Petrels
Grey Petrel, A species of Procellaria Petrels
Botanical name: Procellaria cinerea
Genus: Procellaria Petrels
Content
Description General Info
Description
The grey petrel is a large grey, white, and brown petrel. They average 48 cm (19 in) in length and weigh 1,000 g (35 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. 
Size
50 cm
Feeding Habits
Grey Petrel feeds on squid, fish, and carrion, diving from up to 10 m to capture prey. This seabird’s diet is complemented by unique foraging behavior at sea and specialized hunting techniques suited to its pelagic lifestyle.
Habitat
Grey Petrel primarily resides in marine and pelagic environments characterized by cold water conditions. Their breeding grounds are located on subantarctic islands, where they nest on steep vegetated slopes with plants like Azorella selago, Pringlea antiscorbutica, and Cotula plumosa. They also inhabit Poa foliosa tussock grasslands on slopes with deep soil that are oriented towards the sea or situated near coastal areas.
Dite type
Piscivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
Grey petrels are pelagic and typically stay between 49°S and 32°S during the non-breeding season. During the breeding season, they form colonies on several islands. Antipodes Island, with an estimate of 53,000 pairs, and Gough Island 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 68,800,000 km (26,563,829 sq mi).
Species Status
There is not a lot of recent information about this bird, but its population is believed to be shrinking slowly or possibly rapidly. Introduced predators such as cats, brown and black rats are contributing to the decline, as well as longline fishing, which is a major problem. This bird is the most commonly caught bycatch by longline fisheries in New Zealand waters, with one estimate at 45,000 birds in the last 20 years. Other predators are the weka and house mouse. 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, brown rats were eradicated from Campbell Island, and in 2006, SEAFO tightened longline fishing regulations. In the future, numerous tasks are planned, starting with a census on all the breeding locations. Also, studies on Gough Island pertaining to house mice, and finally, stricter fishing regulations enforced by FAO, RFMO, and ACAP.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Albatrosses and Petrels Family
Shearwaters and petrels Genus
Procellaria Petrels Species
Grey Petrel 
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