The Breeding of the Great‐winged Petrel Pterodroma Macroptera

Summary. Observations on the behaviour of the winter‐breedingPterodroma macropterawere made during two visits to Eclipse Island, Western Australia, in 1954. Calls, flight, courtship behaviour and feeding of the young are described. Burrowing and pairing up takes place in March, egg laying towards the end of May, hatching in July and the young fly in November. One incubation period was about 53 days and two fledging periods 128 and 134 days. Although the breeding ground appears to be deserted from September onwards this is due to the disappearance of unemployed birds. The chicks are fed about once weekly and there is no starvation period. The young birds have few enemies apart from skinks and they do not normally spit oil.