From Opus

Photo by charelli
Azores

Calonectris diomedea

[edit] Identification

Length 18" (46 cm), wingspan 44-46" (112-117 cm).
Light brown upper parts, white below, yellow bill, broad wings held bowed, heavy build, leisurely flight style with fewer wingbeats than other shearwaters.

[edit] Similar Species

Great Shearwater is about the same size with darker wings and body, smaller black bill, narrow straight wings, capped appearance, smudgy brown on belly (sometimes faint), and white collar.
Manx Shearwater is much smaller with no white collar, no white tail band, totally white belly and undertail coverts, and much more blackish.
Audubon's Shearwater is much smaller with short stubby wings, no white collar, no white tail band, long tail, dark undertail coverts, and white spot near eye.

Photo by Glen Tepke
Atlantic southeast of Hatteras, North Carolina, USA, August 2008

[edit] Distribution

Mediterranean Sea, migrating to the south Atlantic during autumn. Some travel further north as far as Ireland.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• C. d. diomedea - (Scopoli's):

• Breeds Mediterranean islands

• C. d. borealis - (borealis):

• Breeds Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Berlenga islands

Some authorities have split these into two species^[2]

[edit] Habitat

Breeds on rocky islands and steep cliffs.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

Colonial breeders and ground nesters; 1 egg is laid.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes molluscs and fish.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia
4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

• List of references

[edit] External Links