Photo: Kinlarak / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tropical Shearwater
Puffinus bailloni
Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 214 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 bailloni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 214 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Procellariidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tropical Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Tropical Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) belongs to the Procellariidae family of the order Procellariiformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers IO, PO tropical Indian and tropical Pacific oceans.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 214 g, with a wing length of about 18.5 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 46 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tropical Shearwater?
The Tropical Shearwater is a large bird that weighs around 214 g.
Where does the Tropical Shearwater live?
The Tropical Shearwater is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering IO, PO tropical Indian and tropical Pacific oceans, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Tropical Shearwater belong to?
The Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Tropical Shearwater eat?
The Tropical Shearwater hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Tropical Shearwater migrate?
The Tropical Shearwater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Tropical 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 Tropical Shearwater make?
1 real field recording of the Tropical Shearwater — including its dawn song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Tropical Shearwater's range?
The Tropical Shearwater has a mapped global range of about 46 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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