Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinus

Order

PROCELLARIIFORMES

Family

Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae)

Code 4

MASH

Code 6

PUFPUF

ITIS

Breeding Location:

Islands, sandy or rocky

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial

Breeding Population:

Yes but uncommon

Egg Color:

White

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

No material added to nest.

Migration:

Migratory

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

General

Manx Shearwater: Small shearwater with brown-black upperparts and white underparts, underwings and undertail coverts. Black cap is darker than back. Bill is dark. Wings are long, slim, and straight. Tail is short and pointed. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Manx Shearwater: Breeds mainly in eastern Atlantic, but also on islands off Newfoundland, and in Massachusetts (one record). Uncommon visitor off the eastern U.S. coast. Pelagic, comes ashore only to breed.

Breeding and Nesting

Manx Shearwater: One white egg is laid in a burrow or rock crevice. Incubation ranges from 52 to 54 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Manx Shearwater: Feeds on small fish and shellfish; forages on the surface and by plunge diving.

Vocalization

Manx Shearwater: On breeding grounds makes raucous, coughing calls, especially when in colonies.

Similar Species

Manx Shearwater: Audubon's Shearwater has a longer tail and dark undertail coverts. Greater and Cory's shearwaters are larger.

Percevia^® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The Percevia field guides, database and search protocol patent pending.

The best bird guide and bird watching search engine to identify birds!

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 forbidden2.

Field Guide to Birds of North America