Photo: José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Cory’s Shearwater
Calonectris borealis
Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) — 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 Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 535 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 Calonectris
- Species borealis
Where it lives
All main islands and islets, Azores; Madeira I., Porto Santo group and Desertas, Madeira Is.; Salvages (north of Canary Is.); Canary Is. (northern, central Macaronesia, west of northwestern Africa), Berlenga Is. (just west of central Portugal) and a few western Mediterranean islands
Quick facts
- Weight
- 535 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cory’s 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 Cory’s Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) is a species of petrels, shearwaters, diving petrels in the family Procellariidae, order Procellariiformes. It is found in Oceans & Seabirds — all main islands and islets, Azores; Madeira I., Porto Santo group and Desertas, Madeira Is.; Salvages (n of Canary Is.); Canary Is. (n, c Macaronesia, w of nw Africa), Berlenga Is. (just w of c Portugal) and a few w Mediterranean islands.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cory’s Shearwater?
The Cory’s Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 535 g.
Where does the Cory’s Shearwater live?
The Cory’s Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering AO all main islands and islets, Azores; Madeira I., Porto Santo group and Desertas, Madeira Is.; Salvages (n of Canary Is.); Canary Is. (n, c Macaronesia, w of nw Africa), Berlenga Is. (just w of c Portugal) and a few w Mediterranean islands, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Cory’s Shearwater belong to?
The Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Cory’s Shearwater eat?
The Cory’s Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Cory’s Shearwater migrate?
The Cory’s Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Cory’s 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 Cory’s Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Cory’s 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 Cory’s Shearwater's range?
The Cory’s Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 58.8 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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