Mediterranean Shearwater

The Mediterranean Shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus, is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.

This species breeds on islands and coastal cliffs in the Mediterranean. Most winter in that sea, but some enter the Atlantic in late summer, reaching north to Great Britain and Ireland.

This species nests in burrows which are only visited at night to avoid predation by large gulls.

This bird has the typically "shearing" flight of the genus, dipping from side to side on stiff wings with few wingbeats, the wingtips almost touching the water. This bird looks like a flying cross, with its wing held at right angles to the body, and it changes from dark brown to dirty white as the dark upperparts and paler undersides are alternately exposed as it travels low over the sea.

Apart from the less contrasted plumage, this species is very similar to the Atlantic Manx Shearwater, with which it was once considered conspecific. It is under some threat from the development of holday resorts near its breeding sites, and also from animals such as cats and rats.

This is a gregarious species, which can been seen in large numbers from boats or headlands, especially on in autumn.

It is silent at sea, but at night the breeding colonies are alive with raucous cackling calls, higher pitched than Manx.

The Mediterranean Shearwater feeds on fish and molluscs. It does not follow boats.