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− | + | [[Image:Sooty_Shearwater.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Joe Cockram.<br />Photo taken: Atlantic Ocean, not too far from [[Scilly Isles|Scilly]].]] | |
;[[:Category:Puffinus|Puffinus]] griseus | ;[[:Category:Puffinus|Puffinus]] griseus | ||
− | |||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
− | Length | + | Length 40-51 cm, wingspan 94-109 cm, weight 650-980 g. Narrow. pointed wings. Uniformly dark brown except pale underwing bar; the slender bill and feet are grey-brown. |
+ | ====Similar Species==== | ||
+ | In the Pacific Ocean, three confusion species occur:<br> | ||
+ | [[Flesh-footed Shearwater]] differs in having pale pinkish feet and stout, pale-based bill, and lacking the pale underwing bar.<br> | ||
+ | [[Wedge-tailed Shearwater]] shares a slender, dark bill but also has pale pinkish feet, and a longer tail.<br> | ||
+ | [[Short-tailed Shearwater]] is the trickiest to distinguish, sharing a slender, dark (though shorter) bill and dark feet, but usually lacks Sooty's pale underwing bar. Some individuals with a slight pale underwing bar can be impossible to distinguish at any other than very close range.<br> | ||
+ | Identification is much simpler in the Atlantic Ocean, where only the markedly smaller [[Balearic Shearwater]] has a superficially similar colour pattern. | ||
+ | |||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
− | They breed in small islands in the south Pacific and south Atlantic Oceans, mainly around [[New Zealand]], the [[Falkland Islands]] and [[Tierra del Fuego]]. | + | They breed from October to February in small islands in the south Pacific and south Atlantic Oceans, mainly around [[New Zealand]] and southeastern [[Australia]] in the Pacific, and the [[Falkland Islands]] and [[Tierra del Fuego]] in the Atlantic. During the non-breeding season, they migrate north to the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, reaching latitudes of 60-65°N. It migrates further north than any other southern hemisphere breeder, and unlike e.g. [[Great Shearwater]] is regular in the North Sea in August-September. |
+ | |||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
+ | This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>. | ||
+ | |||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
− | Islands. | + | Islands; oceanic when not breeding. |
+ | |||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
− | The diet includes fish and squid. They will also follow fishing boats to take fish scraps thrown overboard. | + | The diet includes fish and squid, taken at the surface or by plunge diving to at least 60 metres depth. They will also follow fishing boats to take fish scraps thrown overboard. |
They breed in huge colonies and the female lays 1 white egg. They nest in burrows lined with plant material which are visited only at night to avoid predation by large gulls. | They breed in huge colonies and the female lays 1 white egg. They nest in burrows lined with plant material which are visited only at night to avoid predation by large gulls. |
Revision as of 17:55, 31 July 2014
- Puffinus griseus
Identification
Length 40-51 cm, wingspan 94-109 cm, weight 650-980 g. Narrow. pointed wings. Uniformly dark brown except pale underwing bar; the slender bill and feet are grey-brown.
Similar Species
In the Pacific Ocean, three confusion species occur:
Flesh-footed Shearwater differs in having pale pinkish feet and stout, pale-based bill, and lacking the pale underwing bar.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater shares a slender, dark bill but also has pale pinkish feet, and a longer tail.
Short-tailed Shearwater is the trickiest to distinguish, sharing a slender, dark (though shorter) bill and dark feet, but usually lacks Sooty's pale underwing bar. Some individuals with a slight pale underwing bar can be impossible to distinguish at any other than very close range.
Identification is much simpler in the Atlantic Ocean, where only the markedly smaller Balearic Shearwater has a superficially similar colour pattern.
Distribution
They breed from October to February in small islands in the south Pacific and south Atlantic Oceans, mainly around New Zealand and southeastern Australia in the Pacific, and the Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego in the Atlantic. During the non-breeding season, they migrate north to the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, reaching latitudes of 60-65°N. It migrates further north than any other southern hemisphere breeder, and unlike e.g. Great Shearwater is regular in the North Sea in August-September.
Taxonomy
Habitat
Islands; oceanic when not breeding.
Behaviour
The diet includes fish and squid, taken at the surface or by plunge diving to at least 60 metres depth. They will also follow fishing boats to take fish scraps thrown overboard.
They breed in huge colonies and the female lays 1 white egg. They nest in burrows lined with plant material which are visited only at night to avoid predation by large gulls.