Despite the generic name, it is unrelated to the puffins , which are auks , the only similarity being that they are both burrow-nesting seabirds.
VIC: Vulnerable
Indigenous: Dusky Shearwater, Lao, Gould Shearwater, Allied Shearwater, Allied Petrel
At a glance
FamilyShearwaters and Petrels
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatPelagic; mostly offshore and over open ocean, occasionally seen from coastal headlands during passage.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Boyle
Range map
Range map
153visible hotspots
586visible records
2states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
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
Regional timing
Western Australia
New South Wales
Queensland
Victoria
Tasmania
Northern Territory
South Australia
Commonly confused with
Kermadec PetrelPterodroma neglectaIndeed, sometimes Kermadec Petrels chase and pirate other petrels, as do jaegers and skuas. Herald Petrel is very similar, but is smaller and slimmer with a longer and more tapered tail, and lacks white shafts on upperwings.→Mottled PetrelPterodroma inexpectataSlightly larger and heavier-bodied than Black-winged, Bonin, and Cook’s Petrels.→Tahiti PetrelPseudobulweria rostrataLook for the combination of very long narrow wings and a heavy bill. Flight style is typically rather relaxed with slow powerful wingbeats. Breeds on islands in the South Pacific.→