Great Shearwater vs Phoenix Petrel

Ardenna gravis compared with Pterodroma alba

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Great Shearwater Phoenix Petrel
Scientific Name Ardenna gravis Pterodroma alba
Order Procellariiformes Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae Procellariidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Vulnerable
Length
Wingspan 63.6 cm (25.0 in) 53.2 cm (20.9 in)
Weight 832.5 g (29.37 oz) 279.0 g (9.84 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1 1
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Great Shearwater only

Phoenix Petrel only

None

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Great Shearwater

Vulnerable

Phoenix Petrel

About These Birds

Great Shearwater

43–51 cm, wingspan 105–122 cm. Large; dark brown above with white underparts, dark cap, and distinctive scaly pattern on upperwing. Breeds Tristan da Cunha, Gough, and Falklands; migrates to North Atlantic. Feeds on fish and squid; spectacular post-breeding migration past UK coasts.

Phoenix Petrel

35–37 cm. Polymorphic; pale morph pale grey with white underparts; dark morph all brown. Breeds Phoenix and Line Islands, French Polynesia. Ranges widely in tropical Pacific. Near Threatened; introduced predators threaten island colonies. Feeds on squid and fish.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family