Great Shearwater vs White-winged Petrel

Ardenna gravis compared with Pterodroma leucoptera

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Great Shearwater White-winged Petrel
Scientific Name Ardenna gravis Pterodroma leucoptera
Order Procellariiformes Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae Procellariidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Vulnerable
Length
Wingspan 63.6 cm (25.0 in) 42.4 cm (16.7 in)
Weight 832.5 g (29.37 oz) 194.5 g (6.86 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1 1
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Great Shearwater only

White-winged Petrel only

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Great Shearwater

Vulnerable

White-winged 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.

White-winged Petrel

30 cm. Small; pale grey above with dark M-mark; white below with partial dark collar. Breeds Cabbage Tree Island (NSW Australia) and Pitcairn Islands. Vulnerable; restricted breeding range; feeds on squid and fish in subtropical Pacific.

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