23. Grey Petrel
(Procellaria cinerea)
Plate 11

Field Characters: 117/51. A large solidly-built petrel, with conspicuously dark underwing. At sea, the uniformly grey uppersurface often appears very dark. Tail wedge shaped. Underbody white. except for dusky undertail coverts. Underwing conspicuously dark grey.

Bill pale green or horn colour. Feet fleshy-grey.

Differs from White-headed Petrel (25) by its larger size, darker upperparts and dusky undertail coverts.

Flight fairly high and wheeling, with duck-like wingbeats followed by sustained gliding. Usually solitary, but can be seen in small page 36

Fig. 12: An Antarctic Petrel (Thalassoica antarctica) in flight.
— Photo: P. C. Harper

Fig. 13: A Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia) resting on the sea.
— Photo: P. C. Harper

page 37 groups, attending whales and diving readily from as high as 5-10 metres. Generally ignores ships.

Winter breeder on subantarctic islands, and widely distributed. Locally breeds on Antipodes and Campbell Islands, and possibly on Macquarie Island.