Photo: Cato Neimoidia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-vented Shearwater
Puffinus opisthomelas
Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 408 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 Puffinus
- Species opisthomelas
Where it lives
I. San Martin (west of northwestern Baja), Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, and Is. Natividad (west of central Baja California), and I. Rasa (northern Gulf of California; northwestern Mexico)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 408 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-vented Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Black-vented Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas) is a species of bird in the Procellariidae family, part of the order Procellariiformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO I. San Martin (w of nw Baja), Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, and Is. Natividad (w of c Baja California), and I. Rasa (n Gulf of California; nw Mexico).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 408 g, with a wing length of about 23.3 cm and a tail of around 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.9 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-vented Shearwater?
The Black-vented Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 408 g.
Where does the Black-vented Shearwater live?
The Black-vented Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO I. San Martin (w of nw Baja), Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, and Is. Natividad (w of c Baja California), and I. Rasa (n Gulf of California; nw Mexico), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black-vented Shearwater belong to?
The Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Black-vented Shearwater eat?
The Black-vented Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Black-vented Shearwater migrate?
The Black-vented Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black-vented 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.
How large is the Black-vented Shearwater's range?
The Black-vented Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 1.9 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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