Flesh-footed Shearwater
At a Glance
Among the hordes of Sooty Shearwaters off our Pacific Coast, this larger bird is sometimes seen, especially in fall. It is closely related to the Pink-footed Shearwater, and resembles it in shape and habits.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Gull-like Birds, Shearwaters and Petrels
IUCN Status
Near Threatened
Habitat
Open Ocean
Region
Alaska and The North, California, Northwest, Western Canada
Behavior
Flap/Glide
Population
150.000
Range & Identification
Description
19 1/2" (50 cm). W. 3'3 (1 m). Bigger than Sooty Shearwater, with slower, more loping wingbeats. Looks more uniformly dark brown, without underwing flash. Thick bill is pale pink at base, and feet are the same color.
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
Color
Black, Brown, Pink
Wing Shape
Broad, Long, Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Pointed, Rounded, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Usually silent at sea.
Call Pattern
Undulating
Call Type
Raucous
Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Flesh-footed Shearwater