Puffinus – Small shearwaters
These medium-sized shearwaters travel long distances covering up to 14,000 km ( 8,700 miles)
If you plan a boating trip, look out for shearwaters, who might follow your boat in search of food or scraps. These medium-sized birds like cold waters and prefer to live in groups. They have tubular nostrils adapted to secrete excess salt from seawater. The long, stiff wings are ornamented with dull colors like grey, black or brown, while the underparts are tinted white.
They fly over the waves with occasional dips where their long beaks help catch prey. The flying speed attained by these birds is different for every specie. The Manx shearwater flies at 55 km/h (34.2 mph) – that’s fast, right?
Species in this genus
Manx shearwater
Impressive flights but clumsy walking on the ground are observed in these birds due to awkward legs