Flesh-footed Shearwater
NameFlesh-footed Shearwater
Common NameFlesh-footed Shearwater
Scientific NameArdenna carneipes
FamilyProcellariidae
Wingspan (cm)107.5
Length (cm)42.5
Weight (g)650
Plumage DetailsUniform dark sooty-brown plumage overall, appearing slightly paler on the underwing coverts. The bill is pale pinkish with a dark tip, and the feet are flesh-colored.
Vocalization / CallAt breeding colonies, especially at night, they emit a variety of wailing, groaning, and cackling calls. At sea, they are generally silent.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusvulnerable
Geographic RangeBreeds on islands off Australia, New Zealand, and Lord Howe Island. Migrates extensively across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, reaching waters off Japan, Alaska, and California in the North Pacific.
Identifying FeaturesUniform dark sooty-brown plumage, Pale pinkish bill with a dark tip, Stiff-winged flight with shallow wing beats and long glides, Medium-large size for a shearwater
Description
The Flesh-footed Shearwater is a medium-large, dark brown seabird with a distinctive pale bill and flesh-colored feet. It exhibits a characteristic stiff-winged flight style, gliding low over the ocean waves. This pelagic species spends most of its life at sea, returning to remote islands only to breed.
