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Newfoundland and Labrador
Shearwaters
Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) (Bawk\Hagdowns) length: 49.5 cm wing-span: 102.5 cm bill: 4.7 cm
Shearwaters are truly birds of the ocean, only coming to land to nest. They are gull-like birds, slightly smaller and not as stocky. The greater shearwater looks black from a distance but on closer observation is brownish with a white collar. Its underbody is whitish with dark streaks. The greater shearwater's long curved and pointed wings distinguish it from other seabirds. They come close to shore in foggy weather. Skimming the waves, shearwaters seem to glide forever without flapping their wings, which are held firmly at right angles to their body. These birds breed in the Southern Hemisphere and arrive in immense groups to Newfoundland about March. You may see them all around our coast but watch for them in the Cabot Strait.
Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) (Hagdown) length: 43 cm wing-span: 99 cm bill: 4.2 cm
The sooty on the wing, like a duplicate of the greater shearwater, glides along with its long, narrow wings. Unlike the greater, it is sooty black all over and looks like a crow from the distance. It occurs with the greater shearwater, but is not as plentiful. It feeds on caplin and fish offal discarded from fishing boats. A very bold bird, we have seen it come right onto a boat and steal a piece of fish. Like the greater shearwater it breeds in the Southern Hemisphere and not in Newfoundland.
Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) (Haughtiness) length: 34 cm wing-span: 82 cm bill: 3.6 cm
The smallest of the shearwaters, the manx, is sooty black above and white underneath. The manx shearwater looks like a smaller version of the greater shearwater. They do not glide as much as the other shearwaters preferring to fly with a more rapid wing beat. It is the only shearwater reported to nest in Newfoundland, on an island close to Lawn in Placentia Bay. They are not as common as the other shearwaters, but we saw them around Merasheen Island in Placentia Bay, off Cape St. Mary's and off Cape Race. Look for them on the ferry runs across the Cabot Strait.
Other Newfoundland Flyers
Web Site Developer Susan Guerrero
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