Great Shearwater Bird Facts (Ardenna gravis)

The Great Shearwater is a large seabird with distinctive brown and white plumage. Its upperparts are dark brown, contrasting sharply with a white underside. The bird has a dark cap extending below the eyes, a white collar, and a dark tail.

Females and males share the same coloring, although the sexes can usually be told apart when alongside males as they are slightly smaller.

Juveniles resemble adults but may have slightly lighter edges to their upper wing coverts. In younger birds, the white collar may also be absent.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Great Shearwater can be found in Wetland habitats.

The Great Shearwater can be found in Coastal habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Urban habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Great Shearwater is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Great Shearwaters breed on remote islands in the South Atlantic, including Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. Outside the breeding season, they undertake a trans-equatorial migration, ranging widely across the North and South Atlantic Oceans.

In the Northern Hemisphere summer, they can be observed off the coasts of North America, including the eastern United States and Canada, and in European waters, particularly around the UK and Ireland.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Great Shearwater. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Falkland Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Brazil Chile Greenland United States of America

Species that pass through the area during migration

Bermuda France Guyana Ireland Portugal The United Kingdom

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

Exceptional agility, demonstrated by their remarkable gliding abilities and dynamic soaring technique. Great Shearwaters can effortlessly navigate vast oceanic distances, showcasing superb aerial manoeuvrability.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Considerable strength for their size, evidenced by their ability to dive up to 18 metres deep for prey and withstand the physical demands of long-distance migration. However, they're not as powerful as some larger seabirds.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Highly adaptable, as shown by their ability to thrive in various oceanic environments across multiple climate zones. Their capacity to drink seawater and migrate over 20,000 km annually further demonstrates their adaptability.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Moderately aggressive when necessary, particularly during breeding season or when competing for food. However, they're not known for exceptional aggression compared to other seabirds.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Outstanding endurance, undertaking one of the longest migrations of any bird species. Their ability to cover vast distances using dynamic soaring and survive long periods at sea demonstrates remarkable stamina.

Great Shearwaters primarily feed on small fish (mackerel and capelin), squid, and crustaceans. Fish offal are also important.

They often hunt by surface-seizing or shallow plunge-diving at least 2 m (6.6 ft) beneath the surface of the water, sometimes following whales or dolphins to catch prey driven to the surface. These birds may also scavenge around fishing vessels.

Great Shearwaters are highly pelagic, spending most of their lives at sea. They are exceptional gliders, using dynamic soaring to cover vast distances with minimal energy expenditure.

These birds often follow ships and gather in large flocks around productive feeding areas, diving to catch prey.

Great Shearwaters are typically silent at sea but become vocal at breeding colonies. Their calls include a variety of harsh, cackling sounds and wailing notes. A common vocalization is a repeated 'hee-hee-hee' or 'yak-yak-yak', often heard during nighttime activity at nesting sites.

Great Shearwaters form breeding pairs that often remain together for multiple seasons. They nest in large colonies on remote oceanic islands, typically returning to their breeding grounds in September or October.

Nests are built in burrows or crevices, often lined with grass or feathers. Females lay a single white egg, which both parents incubate for about 55 days.

Chicks fledge after 84-120 days, usually departing the colony between April and May. Parents alternate long foraging trips to feed their single chick.

The Great Shearwater typically lives for 15 to 20 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

While currently listed as Least Concern, Great Shearwaters face threats from marine pollution, particularly plastic ingestion. Climate change impacts on ocean productivity and nesting sites are potential long-term concerns. Conservation efforts focus on protecting breeding colonies and reducing marine debris.

Look for Great Shearwaters from coastal headlands during autumn migration
Join pelagic birding trips for the best chance of sightings
Watch for their distinctive gliding flight low over the waves
Observe them in groups around fishing boats or areas of high marine activity

Adult Great Shearwaters have few natural predators at sea, but eggs and chicks are vulnerable to introduced mammals like rats and cats on breeding islands.

Great Shearwaters can dive up to 18 meters deep to catch prey.
They undertake one of the longest migrations of any bird, covering over 20,000 km (over 12,000 miles) annually.
These birds can drink seawater, expelling excess salt through specialized nasal glands.

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