Southern Giant Petrel

Southern Giant Petrel - Photo by Paul Gale

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Procellariiformes
Family : Procellariidae
Genus : Macronectes
Species : M. giganteus

Wingspan : 78in (200cm)
IUCN Status : Least Concern

This particular species of bird goes by many names : the Southern Giant Petrel, Stinker, Stinkpot, Giant Fulmar, and "Bone-shaker" among them. Why Stinker and Stinkpot though? When these birds feel threatened they can accurately spit blobs of regurgitated food and oil at their attackers. Stinky indeed!

Southern Giant Petrels can be found in the Southern Hemisphere, breeding near Antarctica and its nearby islands. They are large seabirds, rivaling the albatrosses for size, though then have slimmer wings and much, much larger beaks. Petrels often skim over the water, and are able to take off and land in it. These abilities are the source of the name "Petrel," which comes from St. Peter, the Apostle who walked on water.

Southern Giant Petrel - Photo by Paul Gale

These birds are huge scavengers, feeding off whatever penguin, seal, and whale carcasses they can find. They do on occasion take surface dwelling squids and fishes, but carrion is their primary meal source.

Southern Giant Petrels mate in October and November, and each pair only lays one egg at a time, which takes over two months to incubate. Both parents care for the egg and the chick until it fledges around March and goes off on its own. Young Petrels will fly about on a long migration for several years, but after about six or seven they return to the place that they were born in order to breed.

Southern Giant Petrel

Southern Giant Petrel - Photo by Paul Gale

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Aves

Order : Procellariiformes

Family : Procellariidae

Genus : Macronectes

Species : M. giganteus



Wingspan : 78in (200cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern



This particular species of bird goes by many names : the Southern Giant Petrel, Stinker, Stinkpot, Giant Fulmar, and "Bone-shaker" among them. Why Stinker and Stinkpot though? When these birds feel threatened they can accurately spit blobs of regurgitated food and oil at their attackers. Stinky indeed!



Southern Giant Petrels can be found in the Southern Hemisphere, breeding near Antarctica and its nearby islands. They are large seabirds, rivaling the albatrosses for size, though then have slimmer wings and much, much larger beaks. Petrels often skim over the water, and are able to take off and land in it. These abilities are the source of the name "Petrel," which comes from St. Peter, the Apostle who walked on water.

Southern Giant Petrel - Photo by Paul Gale

These birds are huge scavengers, feeding off whatever penguin, seal, and whale carcasses they can find. They do on occasion take surface dwelling squids and fishes, but carrion is their primary meal source.



Southern Giant Petrels mate in October and November, and each pair only lays one egg at a time, which takes over two months to incubate. Both parents care for the egg and the chick until it fledges around March and goes off on its own. Young Petrels will fly about on a long migration for several years, but after about six or seven they return to the place that they were born in order to breed.

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Laridae
Genus : Larus
Species : L. smithsonianus

Length : 24in (60cm)
Wingspan : 53in (135cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

It's a pretty disgusting day today, but the Seagulls are still out and about, which made me want to write about them. And then I remembered that I had run into this problem when writing about the Little Gulls- there are like a zillion species of Seagull. So I tried to figure out which one was the species that I see all the time, and I think it might be today's animal, the Herring Gull.

The Herring Gull is, to quote Cornell's All About Birds, "the quintessential basic "seagull," with no distinctive characters that immediately set it apart from other gull species." It can be found all across North America, including several Caribbean Islands. Their habitat types vary, but are always close to water. They are found in both natural and urban environments, and have quite the affinity for garbage dumps.

Herring Gulls are large-ish Gulls, and have coloration and patterning that makes it easy to confuse them with many other Gull species. One interesting mark they have is a small red dot on their lower beak.

They are a carnivorous species, and are very opportunistic feeders. They eat a wide variety of vertebrates and invertebrates, and also feed off of carrion and garbage. Herring Gulls have the ability to drink salt water, possessing glands near their eyes that allow them to excrete the salt.

Herring Gulls live in flocks that are organized around a loose hierarchical system based on size. Many populations migrate, though not all, and they communicate through a wide variety of calls.

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Aves

Order : Charadriiformes

Family : Laridae

Genus : Larus

Species : L. smithsonianus



Length : 24in (60cm)

Wingspan : 53in (135cm)



IUCN Status : Least Concern



It's a pretty disgusting day today, but the Seagulls are still out and about, which made me want to write about them. And then I remembered that I had run into this problem when writing about the Little Gulls- there are like a zillion species of Seagull. So I tried to figure out which one was the species that I see all the time, and I think it might be today's animal, the Herring Gull.



The Herring Gull is, to quote Cornell's All About Birds, "the quintessential basic "seagull," with no distinctive characters that immediately set it apart from other gull species." It can be found all across North America, including several Caribbean Islands. Their habitat types vary, but are always close to water. They are found in both natural and urban environments, and have quite the affinity for garbage dumps.



Herring Gulls are large-ish Gulls, and have coloration and patterning that makes it easy to confuse them with many other Gull species. One interesting mark they have is a small red dot on their lower beak.



They are a carnivorous species, and are very opportunistic feeders. They eat a wide variety of vertebrates and invertebrates, and also feed off of carrion and garbage. Herring Gulls have the ability to drink salt water, possessing glands near their eyes that allow them to excrete the salt.



Herring Gulls live in flocks that are organized around a loose hierarchical system based on size. Many populations migrate, though not all, and they communicate through a wide variety of calls.

Chinstrap Penguin

A pair of Chinstraps

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Sphenisciformes
Family : Spheniscidae
Genus : Pygoscelis
Species : antarcticus

Height : 28in (72cm)
Weight : 9-14lbs (3.5-5kg)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Chinstrap Penguins are one of the most abundant of all the penguin species. It is estimated that there are over 7 million breeding pairs! Chinstraps live and breed in colonies and can be found in Antarctica and on islands in Antarctic Waters. The species is named for the thin black strip of feathers that runs under their beak.

Chinstrap Penguins feed off of fish and krill, and can dive down as far as 230ft (70m). Using their flippers they are able to swim at speeds of around 20mph (32kph), and their dives typically last for 20-30 seconds.

Adult and Chick

Chinstrap couples lay two eggs, which are incubated by both the male and female. Chinstraps are relatively unique among penguins in that they raise their chicks with equal care. Many other species prefer one chick over the other.

In recent years, Chinstrap Penguins have gained some notoriety due to a children's book titled And Tango Makes Three. It tells the real life story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstraps who successfully incubated and raised a chick together. The book has been one of the most controversial in the past few years, and was the most challenged book of 2006, 2007, and 2008 according to the American Library Association.

Atlantic Puffin

Atlantic Puffins

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Alcidae
Genus : Fratercula
Species : arctica

Height : 10in(25cm)
Weight : 18oz (500g)
Wingspan : 25in (63cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Atlantic Puffins spend their entire lives in and around the water, but unlike penguins, they can actually fly! In fact, they are even pretty quick on the wing, and can reach speeds of up to 55mph (88kph). At the name suggests, Atlantic Puffins live in areas around the North Atlantic Ocean, including New England, Greenland, and many areas in Northern Europe. Iceland is especially full of Puffins during the breeding season; it is estimated that 60% of all Puffins congregate there each spring and summer.

Puffin carrying food for its young

Atlantic Puffins are amazing swimmers as well at flyers. They hunt their fishy prey by swimming over open water and diving in for the catch. They can dive down as far as 200ft (61m), using their wings to swim and their feet to steer. They eat fish and marine invertebrates, often feeding right there underwater. When it has a chick to feed, the Atlantic Puffin can carry up to 30 small fish back in its beak.

Puffin pairs mate for life, and return to the same nesting spot year after year. They lay only one egg at a time, and both parents incubate, feed, and care for their chick.Puffins wait 3-6 years before their first breeding, and can live as long as 30.

Atlantic Puffins have been hunted for centuries, and actually became rare in some areas, though the population as a whole has never been majorly threatened. They were recently reintroduced to areas in Maine, and that colony is now doing well. Puffins are still hunted and eaten in many areas.

Little Gull

Summer Plumage

I woke up this morning wanting to write about Seagulls. And then I quickly realized that there are many, many species and genera of gulls, and that I'd need to narrow it down to just one. So let's take a look at the smallest of all gulls, the aptly named Little Gull.

Little Gulls (Hydrocoloeus or Larus minutus) can be found in Europe and parts of Asia, and has even been seen over in Canada, the United States, and down into North Africa. They are migratory, and during the breeding season can be found in mixed species flocks that can number over 2,000 birds. Even outside of the breeding season they remain gregarious, though the groups are far smaller and number up to two dozen birds.

Winter Plumage

Little Gulls measure about 10in (27cm) long, and sport a wingspan of up to 24in (61cm). Their plumage changes depending on the season; they sport a black hood and more vibrant tones on the bill and legs during summer, and in the winter the head becomes mostly white (save for a small black cap) and the bill and legs become more dull.

Insects make up the bulk of the Little Gulls' diet, and they are able to catch them by skimming over the water. They also consume small fish and marine invertebrates.

Little Penguin

(Image Source)

As the name might suggest, Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) are the smallest penguin species in the world. They stand 17in tall, and weigh only 2lbs. This is quite a difference when compared to the Emperor Penguin, the world's largest. They stand 48in and can weigh up to 90lbs! Little Penguins are found in New Zealand and Australia, where they are also referred to as Fairy Penguins (for their tiny size) and Blue Penguins (for the color of their plumage.)

 Little Penguins are a slate-blue color, with a bright white belly. The males and females look exactly the same, though the males are sometimes a tad bit larger. Juveniles also look a great deal like their parents. Little Penguins are nocturnal carnivores, and hunt fish, squid, and crustaceans, making dives of around 60feet that last less than a minute.

(Image Source)

Little penguins are monogamous over many seasons, and will typically only find a new mate if their previous one dies. They also form a strong attachment to specific nesting sites, and will return to those sites year after year. Two eggs are usually laid, and both parents will care and feed for thir young, who are raised in burrows. Chicks fledge after 8 weeks, and reach full maturity by three or four years old. Chicks also have a tendency to nest near the areas where they themselves where hatched and raised. A very small number actually disperse to farther sites as adults.

 Little Penguins are not threatened, but their numbers have been affected by introduced predators like dogs, cats, and weasels. Cars and vehicular deaths have also hurt their populations in some areas.

Wandering Albatross

(Image Source)

The Wandering Albatross is one of many Albatross species found within the family Diomedeidae. What makes them special? They have the largest wingspan, with a tip to tip range of up to eleven feet! They are a circumpolar species, and can be found flying over the southern oceans.

Wandering Albatrosses are truly remarkable birds. Their narrow wings allow them to utilize the ocean winds and glide with very little effort for hours and hours. They can even lock their wings into a position for an extended period of time, which reduces further energy expenditure. Wandering Albatrosses spend most of their lives at sea, feeding off of fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. They will sometimes come to rest in the water, but floating in such a position puts them in danger of being prey upon themselves.

(Image Source)

Every other year the Wandering Albatrosses  come ashore in colonies in order to breed and care for their young. Pairs mate for life, which can be an exceptionally long time with a lifespan of over fifty years. The Albatrosses return to the same beaches they were born at, mate in November, and then lay a single egg which hatches around March. The young chicks take an additional eight to nine months to fledge, and will themselves return to breed when they are seven or eight years old.

Wandering Albatrosses are a vulnerable species, with an estimated 27,600 mature birds.

Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo Penguins (pronounced jen-TOO) stand about 30 inches tall and are the third largest species of penguin, behind the Kings and Emperors. They also possess one of the widest distributions of all penguins, inhabiting the shores of Antarctica and numerous islands including the Falklands and South Georgia. Their genus, Pygoscelis, also contains the Chinstrap and Adeilie Penguins.

(Image Source)

(Image Source)

Pygoscelis papua is identified by its vividly bright orange beak and feet. They also have a "cap" of white feathers that runs over their head from eye to eye. Gentoo Penguins are carnivorous, and consume crustaceans, small cephalopds, and fish. Hunting is done close to their breeding colonies. When hunting, the penguins are able to dive over 300ft, and can reduce their normally 80-100bpm heart rate down to only 20bpm. During a single day, an individual penguin may dive for food several hundred times!

Gentoo nests are typically found on rocky shores, and are built from a wide variety of materials, including grasses, feathers, and pebbles. Two eggs are typically laid, and the parents will care for both chicks equally, but in time of food scarcity only the strongest chick will usually survive. After about a month the chicks will form creches, which are groups of young penguins. They will continue to seek assistance from their parents until they are around 3 months old. Nesting sites do not remain the same from year to year, though many couples will retain long-term bonds.

At sea, the Gentoo Penguin has many predators, including Sea Lions, Seals, and Orcas. While on land they have more protection, though eggs and chicks are sometimes nabbed up by predatory birds. There are roughly 300,000 current breeding pairs, and they are legally protected from human hunting and egg gathering.

Pelagornis chilensis

Pelagornis chilensis is a large, now extinct bird that once soared the coastal skies. It is believed that they may be a precursor to modern pelicans and stocks. Pelagornis chilensis is one of a handful of species within the genus, and has been the one most in the public eye. Literally last week news reports started to come out about a gigantic prehistoric bird from Chile with a confirmed wingspan of over 17ft. While spans of birds like Argentavis magnificens have been estimated as being larger, due to flight feather length, P. chilensis is confirmed to have longer wing bones.

Image by Carlos Anzures (Source)

Image by Carlos Anzures (Source)

The bird lived between 5 and 10 million years ago, and has a remarkable complete skeleton. Because birds have such fragile frames in order to maintain flight, wing bones were often crushed. This skeleton is 70% complete. It is in fact the most complete fossil bird wing ever excavated.

Another awesome piece of information about P. chilensis? It had teeth.Well, kinda of. P. chilensis had bony psuedoteeth, which probably aided in grabbing and holding on to slippery seafood like squid and fish.

The skeleton of chilensis will remain in Chile for study and display, while a
replica is currently being prepared for display in Frankfurt, Germany. A full copy of the P. chilensis report is in the September issue of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Inca Tern

The Inca Tern is one of my all time favorite birds. Why? It has a mustache! Their mustache and unique patterning make them special among seabirds, which is why they are the only member of genus Larosterna. Overall though, they are one of several dozen members of the Tern family, Sternidae. Inca Terns are seabirds that live on the rocky cliffs and islands off the west coast of South America, in the area of the Humboldt Current.

Unlike their far flying relatives the Arctic Terns, Inca Terns are non-migratory. They spend their lives living in their cliff areas, where they also breed and raise young. They are monogamous birds and lay clutches twice a year, usually around April/May and October. Nests are formed in natural burrows, and both parents assist in rearing the chicks, who remain in the nest for 7 weeks.

Because they are seabirds, Inca Terns feed on fish. They actually share a predatory range with Humboldt Penguins, but there is little competition over food as the penguins are able to retrieve their meals from much deeper ocean depths. Inca Terns obtain their food by flying over the water, spotting fish, and then diving beak fish into the waves.

Inca Terns are a near threatened species, with their wild populations on the decline. The birds survival is quite understandably tied to their food supply, which has been negatively affected by El Nino events in the past. It is estimated that the total population numbers around 150,000.

Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern has the longest migration of any animal in the entire world. In a single year, these 4oz, 15 inch wingspan seabirds can fly 44,000 miles. Forty Four Thousand. And with their lifespan of over 30 years, that is equivalent to three round trip flights to the moon. For further perspective, that's 1.5 million miles, or 62 full trips around the Earth. Numbers!

Image from the Seabird Group

Terns reside in the coastal areas of the two poles, though they also have breeding grounds as far south as England and Ireland. They spend the winters down in Antarctica, feasting off of fish and crustaceans in preparation for the springtime commute up to the Arctic areas to breed and raise their young. Terns mate for life, and both parents care for their offspring, which number between one and three per clutch. Eggs take 3-4 weeks to hatch, and then it is only another 3-4 weeks after birth before the chicks fledge. They remain with their parents a few months after that, and will eventually join them and the rest of the flock on the flight back to the wintering grounds. Terns reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age. Like another one of our Alaska Week friends, the Chinook Salmon, the Arctic Tern returns to its birthplace in order to breed, sometimes even to the exact same colony. Happily though, they do not die!

Arctic Terns are not a threatened species overall. Populations in certain areas (such as new England) have declines or gone extinct altogether, but on the whole their remote living quarters has kept the species stable.