Northern Giant Petrel
Macronectes halli
Silhouette: Alexandre Vong · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderProcellariiformes (Tubenoses)
- FamilyProcellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels)
- GenusMacronectes (Giant Petrels)
- SpeciesMacronectes halli (Northern Giant Petrel)
About the Northern Giant Petrel
The northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli), also known as Hall's giant petrel, is a large, predatory seabird of the southern oceans. Its range overlaps broadly with the range of the related southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus), albeit slightly further to the north.
The northern giant petrel was formally described in 1912 by the Australian born ornithologist Gregory Mathews as a subspecies of the southern giant petrel with the trinomial name Macronectes giganteus halli. The specific epithet halli was chosen to honour the Australian ornithologist Robert Hall who had described the birds breeding on the Kerguelen Islands. The northern giant petrel is now considered to be a separate species and has the binomial name Macronectes halli. It is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek makros meaning "great" and nēktēs meaning "swimmer". The name "petrel" refers to the Biblical account of Saint Peter walking on water, referring to the way these birds run on top of the water as they are getting airborne.
The two giant petrel species make up the genus Macronectes. They belong to the order Procellariiformes, the tube-nosed seabirds... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Northern Giant Petrel in Table Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park
Southern Giant Petrel
Macronectes giganteus
White-chinned Petrel
Procellaria aequinoctialis
Sooty Shearwater
Puffinus griseus
Great Shearwater
Puffinus gravis
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
Antarctic Prion
Pachyptila desolata
Soft-plumaged Petrel
Pterodroma mollis
Great-winged Petrel
Pterodroma macroptera
Scopoli's Shearwater
Calonectris diomedea
Southern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialoides
Cape Petrel
Daption capense
Blue Petrel
Halobaena caerulea
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 6 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 9 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Northern Giant Petrel in Table Mountain National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Giant Petrel sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Northern Giant Petrel in Table Mountain National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Northern Giant Petrel in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.