Grey-backed Storm Petrel

Garrodia nereis (Gould, 1841)

38 gWeight

The grey-backed storm petrel (Garrodia nereis) is a species of seabird in the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae.

Busiest months: February and May–June · Most records: Australia, New Zealand, Falkland Islands

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Grey-backed Storm Petrel has been recorded at 36 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic TripAustralia1,575 records
Stewart Island – east coast pelagic watersNew Zealand73 records
Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands43 records

More places

Kaikoura – offshore – Albatross Encounter pelagicNew Zealand41 records
Stewart Island – Titi Islands PelagicNew Zealand24 records
Foveaux StraitNew Zealand18 records
Valparaíso – PelágicoChile12 records
Hercules BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands11 records
Carcass IslandFalkland Islands9 records
Gough Island general pelagic - CircumnavigationSt. Helena8 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia New Zealand Falkland Islands South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands French Southern Territories Chile St. Helena

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The grey-backed storm petrel (Garrodia nereis) is a species of seabird in the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is monotypic within the genus Garrodia. It is found in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Falkland Islands, French Southern Territories, New Zealand, Saint Helena, South Africa, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Grey-backed Storm Petrel?

The Grey-backed Storm Petrel weighs around 38 g.

Where does the Grey-backed Storm Petrel live?

Its breeding range: Southern Ocean: subantarctic islands: Falkland, South Georgia and Gough (southern Atlantic Ocean), Crozet and Kerguelen (southwestern, southeastern Indian Ocean), Macquarie (few; far southeast of Australia), Chatham, Antipodes and Auckland (eastern, southeastern, and south of South Island, New Zealand). It is most often recorded in Australia, New Zealand and Falkland Islands.

When is the best time to see the Grey-backed Storm Petrel?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February, May and June (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Grey-backed Storm Petrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Grey-backed Storm Petrel as Least Concern.

What does the Grey-backed Storm Petrel eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Grey-backed Storm Petrel in?

It belongs to the family Austral Storm Petrels (Oceanitidae), order Procellariiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 38 g
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 125 mm
Tail: 66 mm
Bill: 16 mm
Tarsus: 32 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Southern Ocean: subantarctic islands: Falkland, South Georgia and Gough (southern Atlantic Ocean), Crozet and Kerguelen (southwestern, southeastern Indian Ocean), Macquarie (few; far southeast of Australia), Chatham, Antipodes and Auckland (eastern, southeastern, and south of South Island, New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2