Puffinus myrtae
The Rapa Shearwater (Puffinus myrtae) is a small, critically endangered seabird endemic to Rapa Island in French Polynesia, often considered one of the world's rarest birds. Measuring approximately 28-30 cm in length with a wingspan of 65-70 cm, it presents a classic shearwater profile: dark sooty-brown upperparts contrasting sharply with clean white underparts, extending as a 'tongue' onto the sides of the neck. Its slender, dark bill and relatively long wings are adapted for efficient pelag...
This pelagic seabird primarily inhabits remote oceanic waters of the South Pacific, returning to rocky, inaccessible island slopes and cliffs for breeding. Nesting sites are typically found in burrows or rock crevices at higher elevations on Rapa Island, often amidst dense vegetation.
The Rapa Shearwater primarily feeds on small fish, squid, and crustaceans, which it captures by surface-seizing or shallow pursuit-diving in open ocean waters. It often forages in association with predatory fish like tuna, which push prey towards the surface.
Rapa Shearwaters are highly pelagic, spending most of their lives at sea, returning to their breeding grounds only under the cover of darkness to avoid predators. On land, they are nocturnal, moving between burrows and the open air to engage in courtship, incubation, and chick-rearing activities....
The Rapa Shearwater has an incredibly restricted known breeding range, primarily confined to Rapa Island (Île Rapa) in the Austral Islands archipelago of French Polynesia. Breeding colonies are typically found on steep, vegetated slopes and cliffs at higher elevations on the island, particularly ...
Critically Endangered
- The Rapa Shearwater is considered one of the world's most endangered seabirds, with an estimated global population of fewer than 250 individuals. - It was only formally described as a distinct species in 2011, having previously been considered a subspecies of the more widespread Audubon's Shear...