Grey petrels have a grey head with a darker grey crown. The body is dark on top and white underneath with a grey wedge-shaped tail. The upper wings are grey and under wings are darker grey. Grey petrel can have a wingspan up to 1.3 metres.

Grey petrels are found circumpolar in the cold waters of southern oceans. Breeding takes place annually on Campbell Island and the Antipodes Islands in New Zealand, as well as several islands in the south Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

Grey petrels are considered ‘Gradual decline’ by the Department of Conservation and ‘Near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It has been estimated that there are around 53,000 breeding pairs.

Grey petrel feeds on squid, fish and crustaceans, and can dive to depths of 10 metres.

Grey petrels often follow behind fishing vessels, and are the most caught species of bird in the tuna longline fishery in New Zealand waters. They have also been reported as captured in trawl fisheries.

International Union for Conservation of nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red list

New Zealand Threat Classification System list