Head to head
Mottled Petrel vs Great-winged Petrel
Mottled Petrel
VS Great-winged Petrel
Both are gadfly petrels of the Southern Hemisphere, but one is known for an enormous seasonal journey and the other for an unusual breeding calendar.
| Mottled Petrel | Great-winged Petrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pterodroma inexpectata | Pterodroma macroptera |
| Migration | An enormous transequatorial migration | Not documented as migrating across hemispheres |
| Breeding range | A small number of New Zealand islands | South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tristan da Cunha |
| Size | Not among the largest gadfly petrels | One of the largest gadfly petrels |
| Breeding timing | Not documented as unusual | Breeds during the winter months |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Stable |
| Habitat | Ocean | Ocean |
Mottled Petrel vs Great-winged Petrel: common questions
Which one migrates across the entire Pacific?
The mottled petrel does this, travelling from Southern Hemisphere breeding islands all the way to the North Pacific, a journey not documented for the great-winged petrel.
Which one breeds during winter?
The great-winged petrel breeds this way, laying its egg during the Southern Hemisphere winter, an unusual timing not shared by the mottled petrel.
Which one is larger?
The great-winged petrel is larger, one of the biggest gadfly petrels overall, bigger than the more modestly sized mottled petrel.