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Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) German name(s): "Corysturmtaucher", "Gelbschnabelsturmtaucher" Size: 50-56 cm; wing span 1.18-1.26 m Body mass: 700-800 g

Europe: Family Group 3 Family Group 3 Table Black-browed Albatross Northern Fulmar Great Shearwater Cory's Shearwater Scopoli's Shearwater Sooty Shearwater Manx Shearwater Balearic Shearwater Zino's Petrel Wilson's Storm-Petrel European Storm-Petrel Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Cory's Shearwaters are large shearwaters. Their underparts are white, except for light-grey shoulder patches. The upperparts, including the crown and the sides of the head to below the eyes, are lightly vermiculated brownish-grey, with darker grey wings. The vermiculation comes from light-grey fringes on the individual feathers. The flight feathers are very dark grey, without light fringes. The underwings are mostly white, except for a black fringe all round. The leading black edge is narrow, while the trailing edge is wide. Also the primary flight feathers are dark-grey to black. The undertail, when fanned, also shows dark fringes. Seen up close, Cory's Shearwaters have light-grey eye-rings. The irises are dark, while the bill is yellow, with a grey hooked tip. In-flight the pink legs and feet are usually not visible.

Taxonomy, classification See Cory's Shearwater at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information Following other authorities, we treat Cory's Shearwater as a species here, rather than race "borealis" of Scopoli's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea).

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 Cory's Shearwater is available HERE . Cory's Shearwater is a species of the Atlantic Ocean. Their overall range extends from the Arctic Ocean to roughly central Argentina and around Cape Hoorn to Madagascar. They do not enter the Carribbean or the Gulf of Mexico. In Europe, Cory's Shearwaters are present all year round. They spend the breeding season in their breeding grounds on rocky islands and rocky coastlines from the South of Bretagne to northern Norway, and in particular around the British Isles, the Scottish island chains and Iceland. Outside the breeding season they live on the open ocean or in coastal waters, anywhere from the Northern Ocean to the Atlantic (but usually NOT the North Sea). They also enter the western Mediterranean, as far as about southern France and the Balearic islands. During the breeding season Cory's Shearwaters have a strong preference for rocky islands, cliffs and coastlines. During the rest of the year they are basically always on or above the open ocean.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Pires reports spotting Cory's Shearwaters 5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, in October 2018 and again in October of subsequent years. They were also found on the Azores, around Faial Island and Pico Island, in October 2019. All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of Cory's Shearwater (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2022]

Lateral view of Cory's Shearwater (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2022]

Lateral view of Cory's Shearwater (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2022]

Lateral view of four Cory's Shearwaters (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Between Faial Island and Pico Island, Azores, November 2018]

Near-frontal view of Cory's Shearwater in flight; note the worn tips of the primaries (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-frontal view of Cory's Shearwater in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2024]

Near-frontal/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, wings fully extended (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Between Faial Island and Pico Island, Azores, November 2018]

Close-up near-lateral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight; note the all-black "fingers" of the primaries (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-lateral/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, wings angled (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Between Faial Island and Pico Island, Azores, November 2018]

Distant near-lateral/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight; this photo illustrates how pale the tips of the primaries can look in direct sunlight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, wings flat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, wings up; here one can see that the white area on the underwing stops short of the primaries (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, with a clear view of the upperwings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Between Faial Island and Pico Island, Azores, November 2018]

Lateral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Between Faial Island and Pico Island, Azores, November 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight; note the all-black tips of the primaries (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Between Faial Island and Pico Island, Azores, November 2018]

Frontal view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, with a young Yellow-legged Gull that may have scavenged its fish
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of Cory's Shearwater in flight, with a young Yellow-legged Gull that may have scavenged its fish (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[5 NM off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Overview of different species of shearwaters hunting in coastal waters off the south-western tip of Iberia
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Roaming

Elementary unit: Small flock

Cory's Shearwaters breed in loose colonies on steep rocky islands in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. They spend the rest of their lives out at sea.

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.

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