Pelecanoides georgicus
The South Georgia Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus) is a small, stocky seabird, measuring 18-20 cm in length with a wingspan of 30-33 cm and weighing 90-150g. Its appearance is characterized by sooty-black upperparts and crisp white underparts, a field mark that helps distinguish it from some other diving petrel species. They possess a small, pointed black bill with a pale bluish-grey cere and dark grey legs and feet. While lacking pronounced sexual dimorphism, both sexes are indistingui...
This is a predominantly pelagic species, inhabiting cold sub-Antarctic oceanic waters; it only comes ashore to breed on remote, predator-free islands with soft soil or dense tussock grass for burrowing.
Their diet primarily consists of small crustaceans such as krill, copepods, and amphipods, supplemented by small larval fish, all captured through active pursuit-diving.
South Georgia Diving Petrels are highly adapted to their marine environment, exhibiting diurnal activity at sea where they forage, but are strictly nocturnal at their breeding colonies to avoid predation. Their foraging strategy involves pursuit-diving, where they use their short, stiff wings to ...
The breeding range of the South Georgia Diving Petrel encompasses numerous sub-Antarctic islands in the Southern Ocean, including its namesake South Georgia, as well as the Prince Edward Islands, Marion Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Heard Island, Macquarie Island, Antipodes Islands, ...
Least Concern
- The South Georgia Diving Petrel is often called the 'auk of the Southern Ocean' due to its convergent evolution with Northern Hemisphere auks, using its wings for underwater propulsion. - Despite its name, its range extends far beyond South Georgia, including numerous sub-Antarctic islands acro...