Ardenna tenuirostris
The Short-tailed Shearwater (*Ardenna tenuirostris*) is a medium-sized pelagic seabird, renowned for its extraordinary trans-equatorial migration. Measuring 41-43 cm in length with a wingspan of 99-107 cm and weighing 450-800 grams, it is uniformly sooty brown to blackish, often appearing slightly paler on the underwing coverts, which subtly contrasts with darker flight feathers. Its flight is characterized by rapid, stiff-winged beats interspersed with long glides, typically just above the w...
This species is overwhelmingly pelagic, spending over 90% of its life in the open ocean. It congregates on offshore islands and coastal cliffs for colonial breeding, often utilizing grassy slopes or soft soil for burrow excavation.
Primarily piscivorous and planktivorous, their diet consists mainly of krill, small schooling fish (such as anchovies and sardines), and squid, obtained through pursuit-diving, plunge-diving, and surface-seizing.
At sea, Short-tailed Shearwaters are active diurnally, foraging vigorously, often in immense rafts on the water's surface or pursuing prey underwater. During the breeding season, they exhibit a striking nocturnal pattern at their colonies, returning to burrows under the cover of darkness to avoid...
The Short-tailed Shearwater is a true trans-equatorial migrant, breeding exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, primarily on islands and coastal areas of southeastern Australia, notably Tasmania and its surrounding islets, as well as Victoria and South Australia. Minor breeding populations also ...
Least Concern
- The Short-tailed Shearwater undertakes one of the longest migrations of any bird, traveling up to 30,000 km (18,600 miles) in a figure-eight pattern each year. - Millions of these birds, often referred to as "muttonbirds," were historically harvested by Indigenous Australians and early settlers...