Galapagos Shearwater
Puffinus subalaris
Very small black-and-white shearwater of warm tropical waters. Can be seen from shore off the coast of Oaxaca. Often in flocks, sometimes of thousands, resting on the water and in feeding flocks with Brown Boobies, Black Terns, and other shearwaters. Flight quick and low, with hurried wingbeats and only short glides. Smaller and shorter-winged than Black-vented Shearwater and rare Townsend’s Shearwater. Black-vented has messier brown colors on the side of its head, without distinct dark cap of Galapagos. Townsend’s is blacker above with white patches (saddlebags) at sides of rump.
Identification
The Galápagos shearwater has dark brown upperparts, undertail and underwing flight feathers, the rest of the underparts plumage being white. It sometimes has a dark collar. Both sexes are alike, as are the young after fledging.<p>It is a slender-bodied shearwater, about 29–31 cm long, with a wingspan of around 63 cm and weighs 123-225 g. The species closely resembles the tropical shearwater, although the latter is typically blacker and has a longer tail.
Taxonomy
Genus: Puffinus; Family: Procellariidae; Order: Procellariiformes.
- Scientific name
- Puffinus subalaris
- Authority
- Ridgway, 1897
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Genus
- Puffinus
Range and habitat
Breeding range: PO : islets off Wolf (=Wenman), Santa Cruz (=Indefatigable), Campeon (=Champion, ne of Floreana), Islote Pitt (ne of San Cristobal=Chatham) and Espanola (=Hood; Galápagos). Non-breeding range: to waters off wc Mexico and Central America (se North Pacific Ocean).
- Breeding range
- PO : islets off Wolf (=Wenman), Santa Cruz (=Indefatigable), Campeon (=Champion, ne of Floreana), Islote Pitt (ne of San Cristobal=Chatham) and Espanola (=Hood; Galápagos)
- Non-breeding range
- to waters off wc Mexico and Central America (se North Pacific Ocean)
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
The Galápagos shearwater is a gregarious species and will feed at sea with other shearwaters and boobies. It flies low over the water and feeds on squid, fish and offal. It intersperses 4-10 stiff wing beats with shallow glides.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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