Newell's Shearwater
NameNewell's Shearwater
Common NameNewell's Shearwater
Scientific NamePuffinus newelli
FamilyProcellariidae
Wingspan (cm)84
Length (cm)34.5
Weight (g)380
Plumage DetailsPlumage is dark sooty-brown to black on the upperparts, including the head, back, and wings. The underparts are pure white, extending up the flanks. The bill is dark and slender, and the legs and feet are dark.
Vocalization / CallKnown for its distinctive, loud, and often eerie nocturnal calls around breeding colonies, described as a 'ka-WHEE-hoo' or 'koo-WHEE' sound.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal, mountain
Conservation Statusendangered
Geographic RangeBreeds almost exclusively in the Hawaiian Islands, primarily on Kauai, with smaller populations on Maui and Hawaii. Migrates to waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America during the non-breeding season.
Identifying Featuresdark upperparts contrasting with white underparts, slender dark bill, nocturnal vocalizations at breeding sites, pelagic habits, breeding in Hawaiian mountain forests
Description
The Newell's Shearwater is a medium-sized pelagic seabird with a distinctive dark upperbody and white underparts. It spends most of its life at sea, returning to land only to breed in burrows on steep, forested mountain slopes.
