Photo: (c) Duarte Frade, some rights reserved (CC BY) / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Verde Shearwater
Calonectris edwardsii
Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 535 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
- Genus Calonectris
- Species edwardsii
Where it lives
Santo Antao, Branco, Raso, San Nicolau, Santiago and Brava (Cape Verde Is.; southern Macaronesia, west of northwestern Africa)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 535 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Verde Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Cape Verde Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii) is a member of the Procellariidae family, within the order Procellariiformes. It occurs naturally across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers AO Santo Antao, Branco, Raso, San Nicolau, Santiago and Brava (Cape Verde Is.; s Macaronesia, w of nw Africa).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 535 g, with a wing length of about 30.9 cm and a tail of around 11.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 14.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Verde Shearwater?
The Cape Verde Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 535 g.
Where does the Cape Verde Shearwater live?
The Cape Verde Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering AO Santo Antao, Branco, Raso, San Nicolau, Santiago and Brava (Cape Verde Is.; s Macaronesia, w of nw Africa), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Cape Verde Shearwater belong to?
The Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Cape Verde Shearwater eat?
The Cape Verde Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Cape Verde Shearwater migrate?
The Cape Verde Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Cape Verde Shearwater endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Cape Verde Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Cape Verde Shearwater — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cape Verde Shearwater's range?
The Cape Verde Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 14.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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