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Large shearwater with a crisp dark cap.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyShearwaters and Petrels
SizeLarge
RarityRare
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from March to April.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Sven Normant
Range map
Range map
30visible hotspots
91visible records
1states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Long, narrow wings are held quite straight when flying; wingbeats are stiff. Also look for messy brown patch on belly and dark markings on underwings. Notably larger and proportionally longer-winged than Manx Shearwater, and wingbeats are not as snappy. Also compare with Cory's Shearwater, but note all-black bill, dark cap, and slightly quicker wingbeats and straighter wings on Great Shearwater. Primarily an Atlantic species, breeding mainly on remote Tristan Island group in the Southern Hemisphere. Occasionally seen from land, but prefers to stay offshore.
Behavior
Large shearwater with a crisp dark cap. Spends the nonbreeding season (May to November) in cool water in the North Atlantic, where it can gather in large flocks, often mixed with other shearwater species.
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