Boyd's Shearwater
NameBoyd's Shearwater
Common NameBoyd's Shearwater
Scientific NamePuffinus boydi
FamilyProcellariidae
Wingspan (cm)64
Length (cm)27.5
Weight (g)200
Plumage DetailsDark sooty-brown upperparts, head, and upperwings contrasting with clean white underparts. The underwing is dark with a variable white flash at the base of the primaries.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations at breeding colonies are typically high-pitched, squeaky, and cackling calls, often given at night.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds primarily in the Azores and Cape Verde islands in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, dispersing widely across the eastern and central Atlantic when not breeding.
Identifying Featuressmall size, dark upperparts, white underparts, shearing flight pattern, dark bill, short tail
Description
A small, dark-backed seabird with white underparts, known for its characteristic low, shearing flight over the ocean. It breeds on oceanic islands and spends most of its life at sea, foraging over open waters.
