Cory's Shearwater

Calonectris diomedeaOrder: PROCELLARIIFORMES Family: Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae)

Codes: Common Name: COSH Scientific Name: CALDIO ITIS Taxonomic No.: 203446

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Overview

Cory's Shearwater: Large gray-brown shearwater, white underparts, pale yellow bill. Feeds at night on crustaceans and large sqiud it takes from the surface. Best identified by its relatively slow, languid flight compared to other shearwaters. Wings held downward. Soars on fixed wings if wind is up.

Range and Habitat

Cory's Shearwater: Breeds on the Azores and in the Mediterranean, but roams widely all over the Atlantic Ocean during the nonbreeding season.

Topo Map: Gull-like Body

Voice Text

Generally silent

Interesting Facts

The Cory's Shearwater was named after the American ornithologist Charles B. Cory. It is the largest shearwater in North American waters.

Along with petrels and fulmars, shearwaters are called tubenoses, because a little pipe, fixed to the top of their bill, covers their nasal holes.

They have a special organ just above the stomach that stores fish oil as an energy reserve.

A group of shearwaters are collectively known as an "improbability" of shearwaters.

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Author

David Lukas

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Cory's Shearwater

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Cory's Shearwater: Mainly feeds at night, plunging into the ocean or picking from the surface to catch fish, squid, and crustaceans.

● Breeding & nesting: Cory's Shearwater: Nests in colonies in burrows, cracks, and crevices on ocean islands. Lays one egg that is incubated for about 54 days, with parents alternating their incubation roles about every 6 days. Chick takes first flight when 97 days old.

● Similar species: Cory's Shearwater: Greater Shearwater has a more contrasting look, including a dark cap and white collar. Bill is black.

Flight Pattern

Alternates series of rapid stiff wing beats with short glides.

● Range & Habitat: Cory's Shearwater: Breeds on the Azores and in the Mediterranean, but roams widely all over the Atlantic Ocean during the nonbreeding season.

^BreedingColonial

^PopulationAbundant on breeding grounds

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight20 - 33 Ounces

Gull-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America