Petrels & Shearwaters of California
24 petrels and shearwaters recorded in California on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
24 petrels and shearwaters have been recorded in California on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Procellariidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Petrels & Shearwaters of California to know first
Black PetrelProcellaria parkinsoni
Black-vented ShearwaterPuffinus opisthomelas
Buller’s ShearwaterArdenna bulleri
Bulwer’s PetrelBulweria bulwerii
Cook’s PetrelPterodroma cookii
Cory’s ShearwaterCalonectris borealis
Flesh-footed ShearwaterArdenna carneipes
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravis
Grey-faced PetrelPterodroma gouldi
Hawaiian PetrelPterodroma sandwichensis
Jouanin’s PetrelBulweria fallax
Kermadec PetrelPterodroma neglecta
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
Mottled PetrelPterodroma inexpectata
Murphy’s PetrelPterodroma ultima
Newell’s ShearwaterPuffinus newelli
Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis
Pink-footed ShearwaterArdenna creatopus
The full list — 24 petrels and shearwaters of California in our library
- Black Petrel
- Black-vented Shearwater
- Buller’s Shearwater
- Bulwer’s Petrel
- Cook’s Petrel
- Cory’s Shearwater
- Flesh-footed Shearwater
- Great Shearwater
- Grey-faced Petrel
- Hawaiian Petrel
- Jouanin’s Petrel
- Kermadec Petrel
- Manx Shearwater
- Mottled Petrel
- Murphy’s Petrel
- Newell’s Shearwater
- Northern Fulmar
- Pink-footed Shearwater
- Short-tailed Shearwater
- Sooty Shearwater
- Stejneger’s Petrel
- Streaked Shearwater
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater
- White-chinned Petrel
Keep exploring
- Birds of California
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of California (74 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of California (52 species)
- New World Warblers of California (48 species)
- Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of California (46 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of California (43 species)
- New World Sparrows of California (32 species)
- Tyrant Flycatchers of California (32 species)
- True Finches of California (30 species)
- Waxbills & Munias of California (26 species)
- New World Blackbirds & Orioles of California (23 species)
- Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of California (23 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of California (22 species)
- Woodpeckers of California (18 species)
Petrels & Shearwaters in other regions
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Hawaii (24 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Australia (57 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of New Zealand (52 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of the United States (43 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of South Africa (35 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Argentina (27 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Mexico (26 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Japan (23 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Brazil (22 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Canada (22 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Peru (19 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Spain (18 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many petrels and shearwaters are found in California?
24 petrels and shearwaters that we profile appear on California's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these petrels and shearwaters really found there?
Yes — each one is on California's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these petrels and shearwaters belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see petrels and shearwaters in California right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.