ML201867791 IBC 1561734

Commentaires

Southern Giant Petrels eating a freshly-killed King Penguin. Southern Giant Petrels (Macronectes giganteus) are both scavengers and predators. These Petrels had killed an adult King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) before I arrived, and were making short work of the carcass as other King Penguins stood by, apparently unconcerned. The feeding behaviour of the Petrels was reminiscent of African White-backed Vultures – often charging into the kill with wings outspread in an attempt to intimidate birds already there. The Petrels had a clear pecking order – smaller birds (probably mainly females) were displaced by larger ones, which were probably males. There were about 15 Petrels involved, and some of them moved away from the kill for a time, apparently to rest, or entered the meltwater stream. Elevation: 76 m. Date added to IBC: February 11, 2019.