SUBANTARCTIC
Ocean

The subantarctic oceans are cold but rich in oxygen, nutrients and sea birds and mammals...

Class Aves: Birds

Order Charadriiformes: Waders & Shorebirds

Family Chionidae: 'Sheathbills'

Chionis albus, 'Snowy Sheathbill'. Flock flying at sea.

Penguins

Order Procellariiformes: Tubenoses, including Albatross & Petrels

Family Diomedeidae: Albatross

Diomedea spp. 'Great Albatross'

Diomedea exulans, 'Wandering Albatross'.

Thalassarche spp. 'Mollymawk Albatross'

The 'Mollymawk' Albatross are smaller than the Great Diomedea Albatross. Unlike the latter birds, the Mollymawks have a dark back. The different species in the genus can usually be distinguished from each other by their slightly different coloured bills.

Thalassarche melanophris, 'Black-browed Mollymawk', view of upperside.

Black-browed Mollymawk, view of underside

Family Procellariidae: Petrels, Giant Petrels, Shearwaters, Fulmars, Prions

Procellaria spp., 'Petrels'

Mostly dark medium sized seabirds that often glide just above colder southern ocean waters, similar to Shearwaters.

Procellaria aequinoctialis, 'White-chinned Petrel'. The common name comes from a small patch of white underneath the base of the bill; this is not always visible in the field, but can be seen in the photograph above.

Macronectes spp., 'Giant Petrels'

Macronectes giganteus, 'Southern Giant Petrel'.

'Fulmars'

Fulmarus glacialoides, 'Southern Fulmar'.

Pagodroma sp.

Pagodroma nivea, 'Snow Petrel'.

'Prions'

Rhymes with iron, Pry-on, not Pree-on.

Pachyptila belcheri, 'Slender-billed Prion'. Long thin bill, large white eyebrow.

Pachyptila desolata, 'Antarctic Prion'.

Family Oceanitidae: Storm Petrels

Oceanites oceanicus, 'Wilsons Storm Petrel'. One of the most abundant birds in the world.

Class Mammalia

Pinnipeds: Seals

True Seals

Cetaceans: Whales & Dolphins

Whale blow.

Odontoceti: Toothed whales

Cephalorhynchus commersonii, 'Commerson's Dolphin'.

Mysticeti: Baleen Whales

Balaenoptera physalus, 'Fin Whale'. Very long whale, with small curved fin set very far back.

Megaptera novaeangliae, Humpback Whale 'hump back' and fin.