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Buller's Shearwater
(Ardenna bulleri)
: "Grey-backed Shearwater", "New Zealand Shearwater"
Size: 40-46 cm; wing span ca. 1.0 m
Weight: 410-490 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Buller's Shearwaters are large shearwaters.
Except for a very narrow dark edge around the entire wings
their underparts are all-white. The upperparts are grey,
with black wing tips and outer half of the tail. The cap
is darker grey than the rest of the back. Across the
upperwings they have an "U" shaped pattern, similar to
those of prions.
However, the "U" on the back of Buller's Shearwater is
incomplete, with a gap on the rump.
The feet, which are usually well hidden in flight, do not
project beyond the end of the wedge-shaped tail.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Buller's
Shearwater at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of Buller's Shearwater is available
HERE
.
Buller's Shearwaters are a migratory species that is found around
New Zealand, across the
Tasman Sea to south-eastern Australia, as far northward as the
Coral Sea (Great Barrier Reef) and all across the Pacific Ocean,
where they are found around most of the Pacific island nations.
They have a stronghold on the West coast of North America and
are also found off the coast of Chile.
Buller's Shearwaters reach the Australian coastline in an area
from about Fraser Island, QLD, in the North to the southern tip
of Tasmania in the South. They are also found regularly in the
Coral Sea (on the Great Barrier Reef), but they only rarely cross
the Bass Strait to go further westward.
Buller's Shearwaters are pelagic birds that spend much of
their time out on the open ocean but are also found in coastal waters. They breed on
islands off the
North Island of New Zealand.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
M. Roderick reports spotting a Buller's Shearwater off
Swansea, NSW, in December 2017.
All photographic and sighting information presented
on this page has kindly been contributed by M. Roderick.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of a Buller's Shearwater in flight; note the
almost all-white underparts
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Swansea, NSW, December 2017]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
