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title: "We all know Southern Giant Petrels are raffish* but cannibals?"
---

# We all know Southern Giant Petrels are raffish* but cannibals?

 ![Pat Latas Southern Giant Petrel digital Michelle Risi Gough](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Petrels/S/Southern_Giant/Pat_Latas_Southern_Giant_Petrel_digital_Michelle_Risi_Gough.JPG)

 *Southern Giant Petrel by Pat Latas, from a photograph by Michelle Risi*

 Júlia Victória Grohmann Finger ([Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos](https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Laboratorio-de-Ornitologia-e-Animais-Marinhos-Maria-Virginia-Petry), Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Brazil) and colleagues have published in the journal [*Polar Biology*](https://www.springer.com/journal/300)on two instances of cannibalism by male Southern Giant Petrels on the Antarctic Peninsula.

 ![cannibalism Southrrn Giant Petrel](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Petrels/S/Southern_Giant/cannibalism_Southrrn_Giant_Petrel.png)

 *A male Southern Giant Petrel  feeds on a conspecific chick after removing it from its nest, from the publication*

 The short note’s abstract follows:

 “Southern giant petrels (*Macronectes giganteus*) are a scavenger and predatory species with highly opportunistic feeding habits. Although cannibalism is a likely behavior for a predatory and colonial species, there are no confirmed records of this behavior for giant petrels. In this study, we describe two cases of cannibalism in a population of southern giant petrels breeding at Harmony Point (62°18′S; 59°10′W), Nelson Island. In both cases, a male giant petrel preyed upon a nestling. Our records confirm that heterocannibalism is part of the behavior repertoire of male southern giant petrels.”

 With thanks to Janine Dunlop, [Niven Librarian](http://www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za/fitz/nivenlibrary/about), FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town.

 **Reference:**

 Grohmann Finger, J.V., Corá, D.H., Petry, M.V. & Krüger, L. 2021.  Cannibalism in southern giant petrels (*Macronectes giganteus*) at Nelson Island, Maritime Antarctic Peninsula. [*Polar Biology* doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02859-8.](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02859-8) Scroll down on the reference to watch a short video of cannabalistic feeding.

 *Raffish:  “unconventional and slightly disreputable, especially in an attractive way”.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 May 2021*