Photo: Martin Reith / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) — 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 Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 453 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 puffinus
Where it lives
Islands of subarctic, temperate and subtropical North Atlantic Ocean
Quick facts
- Weight
- 453 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Manx 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 Manx Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a species of bird in the Procellariidae family, part of the order Procellariiformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers AO islands of subarctic, temperate and subtropical North Atlantic Ocean.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 453 g, with a wing length of about 23.3 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 69.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Manx Shearwater?
The Manx Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 453 g.
Where does the Manx Shearwater live?
The Manx Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering AO islands of subarctic, temperate and subtropical North Atlantic Ocean, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Manx Shearwater belong to?
The Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Manx Shearwater eat?
The Manx Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Manx Shearwater migrate?
The Manx Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Manx 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 Manx Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Manx 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 Manx Shearwater's range?
The Manx Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 69.1 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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