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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Procellariidae
  4. ›
  5. Macronectes
  6. ›
  7. Northern Giant Petrel
Northern Giant Petrel
Photo · (c) Andrew Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Northern Giant Petrel

Macronectes halliMathews, 1912

Updated 21 March 2026

Conservation status: VulnerableOrigin: Native
Order
PROCELLARIIFORMES
Family
Procellariidae
Genus
Macronectes

At a glance

The Northern Giant Petrel is a large bird, about 35–42 cm long, listed as Vulnerable and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
35–42 cm
Conservation status
Vulnerable
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Northern Giant Petrel look like?

The Northern Giant Petrel is a large bird, about 35–42 cm long.

The northern giant petrel, 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, albeit slightly further to the north.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
35–42 cm
Wingspan
180 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

Field tips

behaviour

  • To take off from the water, this species performs a long, lumbering run across the surface while vigorously paddling its feet and flapping its wings to gain lift.

flight

  • Observe the 'hunchbacked' appearance in flight, where the bird carries its head slightly lower than the line of its back.

plumage

  • Focus on the tip of the massive bill, which is a distinct reddish-brown or pinkish-yellow color, contrasting with the rest of the pale bill.
  • Adults show a mottled grey-brown body with a noticeably paler whitish face and chin, complemented by striking pale grey or whitish eyes.
  • Juveniles are entirely dark chocolate-brown and lack the pale facial markings of adults, with their face and plumage gradually lightening as they mature.

size_and_shape

  • The bird has a distinctly 'front-heavy' silhouette due to its exceptionally thick neck and massive bill with a large, prominent tube on top.

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Northern Giant Petrel?

The Northern Giant Petrel is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

2 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Northern Giant Petrel live in Australia?

The Northern Giant Petrel is native to Australia, recorded across 25 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingIslands north of Antarctic Convergence from South Georgia to Macquarie (far south-east of Australia) and Stewart, Chatham (east of South I.), Antipodes (south-east of Stewart I.), and Auckland and Campbell is. (south of South I.; New Zealand)

Non-breedingWidespread in all south oceans mostly north of Antarctic Convergence

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Breeding
  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Non-breeding

7 regions recorded