Great Shearwater vs Magenta Petrel

Ardenna gravis compared with Pterodroma magentae

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Great Shearwater Magenta Petrel
Scientific Name Ardenna gravis Pterodroma magentae
Order Procellariiformes Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae Procellariidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Critically Endangered
Length
Wingspan 63.6 cm (25.0 in) 61.2 cm (24.1 in)
Weight 832.5 g (29.37 oz) 487.5 g (17.20 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1 1
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Great Shearwater only

Magenta Petrel only

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Great Shearwater

Critically Endangered

Magenta 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.

Magenta Petrel

38–42 cm. Large dark-rumped petrel; brown above with pale forehead and whitish underparts. Critically Endangered; rediscovered in 1978 on Chatham Islands. Fewer than 150 known pairs; threatened by introduced predators and road lighting. Feeds on squid and fish at sea.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family