Puffinus tenuirostris, Short-tailed Shearwater

General Description

Body and bill dark brown, feet light brown. Wings narrow, pointed at tip. Underwing coloration variable from brown to grey-brown. Short rounded tail. Body up to 43 cm long.

Biology

Short-tailed Shearwaters migrate to areas in the northern Pacific Ocean during winter. They return to Australia to breed from November to early May. They nest in burrows underground, laying one egg. They can occur in very large flocks.

Distribution

Pacific Ocean. Coastal eastern and southern mainland Australia and Tasmania.

Habitat

Bays and coastlines of Victoria.