Cory's Shearwater
NameCory's Shearwater
Common NameCory's Shearwater
Scientific NameCalonectris borealis
FamilyProcellariidae
Wingspan (cm)112.5
Length (cm)50.5
Weight (g)950
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are dark grey-brown, contrasting with clean white underparts. The head and neck are pale, and the underwing shows dark primary feathers, creating a distinct pattern. The bill is yellowish with a dark tip.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations at breeding colonies are loud, wailing, and cat-like, often heard at night. At sea, they are generally silent.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds on islands in the North Atlantic, including the Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira, and Berlengas. After breeding, it undertakes a long migration to the South Atlantic and western Indian Ocean.
Identifying FeaturesLarge size, Dark grey-brown upperparts, White underparts, Pale head and neck, Yellowish bill with dark tip, Stiff-winged gliding flight, Dark primary feathers on underwing
Description
A large, long-winged pelagic seabird, Cory's Shearwater is known for its distinctive stiff-winged gliding flight over open ocean. It spends most of its life at sea, only coming to land to breed in colonies on oceanic islands.
