Birds of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic

When we think about the birds of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands, it’s probably penguins that come first to mind. But actually there are numerous other species endemic to these regions, many of which are rare enough to be included in every bird lover’s must-see list. In this info-packed video, expedition leader and bird specialist Martin Berg discusses some of the beautiful and exotic birds you might encounter on one of our trips to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic.

You’ll enjoy some of the best birdwatching of your entire trip before officially reaching your destination. The Drake Passage, which most every voyage to the southern polar regions must cross, represents one of the top seabird spots on the planet. There you can see such species as the wandering albatross (the largest flying bird in the world), the grey-headed albatross, black-browed albatross, and southern royal albatross.

Petrel species are also common on the Drake Passage, with giant petrels (northern and southern) and storm petrels often appearing around our ships. Shearwaters may also show up, the most common being sooty shearwaters, which breed prolifically along the Patagonian coastline. You might also see the great shearwaters that breed largely in the Falkland Islands.

A true birdwatcher’s paradise, the Falklands are home to the world’s largest black-browed albatross colonies as well as multiple species rarely seen anywhere else. The same can be said of South Georgia, where you will find the largest king penguin colonies on Earth.

Three species can only be found on South Georgia. These include the South Georgia shag, otherwise known as the South Georgia cormorant; the South Georgia pintail; and the South Georgia pipit. When you consider all the other incredible animals and landscapes you can see in these locations, it’s obvious why so many travelers include the sub-Antarctic islands in their Antarctic cruise.

When your voyage reaches the waters of Antarctica, many other amazing birds will begin to appear. One of the most cherished is the rarely seen snow petrel, which breeds far inland but sometimes flies to the Antarctic coastline. Antarctic terns may also be seen, along with kelp gulls, Antarctic cormorants, south polar skuas, brown skuas, and the snowy sheathbill.

Naturally, no mention of Antarctic or sub-Antarctic birds would be complete without the penguins. Along the Antarctic Peninsula, you’re most likely to see gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins, and Adélie penguins. On rare occasions, we also see emperor penguins in this area, but they are more common on the pack ice farther into the Weddell Sea. In fact, we offer cruises that include helicopter flights to some of their more populous colonies, such as at Snow Hill Island.

If you want to learn more about these wonderful birds and the others you can see in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic, don’t miss our in-depth article entirely devote to this subject: [ Ссылка ]

After that, you might be interested in finding out how you can see these beautiful species in person. For that, please take a look at our long list of adventurous southern expeditions: [ Ссылка ]

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