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A small, pale-faced shearwater with the separation line between black and white on the face passing through or above the eye.
VIC: Vulnerable
Indigenous: Dusky Shearwater, Lao, Gould Shearwater, Allied Shearwater, Allied Petrel
At a glance
FamilyShearwaters and Petrels
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Boyle
Range map
Range map
153visible hotspots
583visible records
2states
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
Behavior
Mainly sedentary and relatively shy, feeding farther offshore than similar seabirds. The Fluttering Shearwater can be distinguished by its larger size, smudgy brown underwing, dark face, and tendency to congregate in flocks much closer to shore.
Gallery