Photo: dominic sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sargasso Shearwater
Puffinus lherminieri
Sargasso Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sargasso Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 193 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
- Genus Puffinus
- Species lherminieri
Where it lives
Elbow Cay (east of central Abaco, northern Bahamas), Long Cay (Exumas, east-central Bahamas), off northern Cuba, east of Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles (Caribbean Sea); Crab Cay (Providencia Is., east of Nicaragua); Tiger Cay (Bocos del Toro Arch., Caribbean northwestern Panama); is. Los Roques, Orchila and Los Hermanos (north of central Venezuela); and islets of Fernando de Noronha (east of northern Brazil)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 193 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sargasso Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Sargasso Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Sargasso Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) is a species of petrels, shearwaters, diving petrels in the family Procellariidae, order Procellariiformes. It is found in Oceans & Seabirds — Elbow Cay (e of c Abaco, n Bahamas), Long Cay (Exumas, ec Bahamas), off n Cuba, e of Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles (Caribbean Sea); Crab Cay (Providencia Is., e of Nicaragua); Tiger Cay (Bocos del Toro Arch., Caribbean nw Panama); is. Los Roques, Orchila and Los Hermanos (n of c Venezuela); and islets of Fernando de Noronha (e of n Brazil).
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sargasso Shearwater?
The Sargasso Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 193 g.
Where does the Sargasso Shearwater live?
The Sargasso Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering AO Elbow Cay (e of c Abaco, n Bahamas), Long Cay (Exumas, ec Bahamas), off n Cuba, e of Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles (Caribbean Sea); Crab Cay (Providencia Is., e of Nicaragua); Tiger Cay (Bocos del Toro Arch., Caribbean nw Panama); is. Los Roques, Orchila and Los Hermanos (n of c Venezuela); and islets of Fernando de Noronha (e of n Brazil), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Sargasso Shearwater belong to?
The Sargasso Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Sargasso Shearwater eat?
The Sargasso Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Sargasso Shearwater migrate?
The Sargasso Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Sargasso Shearwater endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Sargasso Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Sargasso Shearwater — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sargasso Shearwater's range?
The Sargasso Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 24.7 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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