Photo: NPS / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Short-tailed Shearwater
Ardenna tenuirostris
Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 559 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 Ardenna
- Species tenuirostris
Where it lives
Islets off southern, southeastern Australia, Bass Strait and Tasmania (southeastern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 559 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) belongs to the Procellariidae family of the order Procellariiformes. It occurs naturally across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO islets off s, se Australia, Bass Strait and Tasmania (se Australia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 559 g, with a wing length of about 26.2 cm and a tail of around 8.3 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 112.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Short-tailed Shearwater?
The Short-tailed Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 559 g.
Where does the Short-tailed Shearwater live?
The Short-tailed Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO islets off s, se Australia, Bass Strait and Tasmania (se Australia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Short-tailed Shearwater belong to?
The Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Short-tailed Shearwater eat?
The Short-tailed Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Short-tailed Shearwater migrate?
The Short-tailed Shearwater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Shearwater's range?
The Short-tailed Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 112.9 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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