Little Shearwater
NameLittle Shearwater
Common NameLittle Shearwater
Scientific NamePuffinus assimilis
FamilyProcellariidae
Wingspan (cm)62.5
Length (cm)27.5
Weight (g)230
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are sooty-black to dark grey-brown, sharply contrasting with pure white underparts. The head has a dark cap extending below the eye, and the bill is pale blue-grey with a dark tip. Underwing coverts are white with dark edges.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations at breeding colonies are typically nocturnal, consisting of various cooing, cackling, and wailing calls, often described as a series of 'ki-ki-ki-kerr' or 'pee-pee-pee-pee-ooh' notes.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, breeding on various oceanic islands including the Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira, Bermuda, and islands off Australia and New Zealand.
Identifying FeaturesSmall size for a shearwater, Dark upperparts contrasting with white underparts, Short tail, Stiff-winged flight close to the water, Pale blue-grey bill with dark tip
Description
The Little Shearwater is a small, pelagic seabird characterized by its dark upperparts and contrasting white underparts. It spends most of its life at sea, coming to land only to breed in burrows on oceanic islands.
