(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)

Manx Shearwater - Puffinus puffinus

Identification Tips:

  1. Length: 13? inches Wingspan: 32? inches
  2. Sexes similar
  3. Pelagic bird only coming ashore to breed
  4. Medium to small shearwater
  5. Dark bill with tube on top
  6. Very dark upperparts
  7. White underparts, underwings, and undertail coverts
  8. Rapid wingbeats
  9. Glides on stiff wings

Similar species:

Gulls are not as contrastingly black and white and flap their wings more slowly and smoothly and lack the tube on top of the bill. Greater and Cory's Shearwaters are larger. Audubon's Shearwater has browner upperparts, dark undertail coverts and darker undersides of primaries. The very rare Little Shearwater is smaller with a whiter face and faster wingbeats. Formerly conspecific with the Black-vented Shearwater. The Black-vented Shearwater has dark undertail coverts.