Wedge-Tailed Shearwater
ExploreBirds
Wedge-Tailed Shearwater
ardenna pacifica
The wedge-tailed shearwater is a remarkable pelagic seabird that spends the vast majority of its life soaring over the vast expanses of the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Known affectionately in Hawaii as the 'ua'u kani, which translates to 'moaning petrel,' these birds are famous for the eerie, ghost-like wailing choruses they produce within their nesting colonies at night. They are superb ocean gliders, perfectly adapted to dynamic soaring, which allows them to travel thousands of miles with minimal wing flapping. Despite their absolute mastery of the winds and waves, they must return to land to breed. They assemble in large, noisy colonies on offshore islands, where they dig deep underground burrows to raise a single chick. These birds serve as vital ecological links, transferring marine-derived nutrients back to terrestrial island ecosystems through their nesting activities.
Habitat: Found across open tropical and subtropical oceans, nesting primarily on offshore sandy or rocky islands with low vegetation or loose soil suitable for digging burrows.
Appearance
Wedge-tailed shearwaters are medium-sized seabirds easily distinguished by their long, wedge-shaped tails and slender wings. They exhibit two distinct color phases: a dark morph, which is entirely dark grey-brown, and a pale morph, which features grey-brown upperparts contrasted with clean white underparts. They possess a slender, dark grey bill with a hooked tip and characteristic tube-nosed nostrils, while their legs and webbed feet are a pale flesh-pink color. In flight, they hold their wings slightly bowed and forward-pointing, effortlessly skimming the crests of ocean waves.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderProcellariiformesFamilyProcellariidaeGenusArdenna
Category
BirdsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Their Hawaiian name 'ʻuaʻu kani' means 'moaning petrel' due to the eerie wails and groans they make in their colonies at night, which sound remarkably like crying babies or ghosts.
They are incredibly faithful to their nesting sites, often returning to the exact same burrow with the same mate year after year.
To survive long oceanic journeys, they produce a highly concentrated, energy-rich stomach oil from digested prey that can be stored for long periods or fed to their chicks.
Special abilities
Ability
Dynamic Soaring
Utilizes wind shear close to the ocean surface to fly vast distances while expending almost no energy.
Ability
Desalination Glands
Possesses specialized salt glands above the nasal passages to excrete excess salt swallowed while drinking seawater.
Ability
Burrow Excavation
Uses its sharp claws and webbed feet to dig tunnels up to several feet deep in sandy or volcanic soils for safe nesting.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 41+ cm
- Wingspan
- 97+ cm
- Weight
- 0.3+ kg
- Lifespan
- 10+ years
- Top Speed
- 60 km/h
- Clutch Size
- 1+
- Incubation
- 48+ days
- Migration Distance
- 10000 km
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on small fish, squid, and crustaceans captured at or just below the ocean's surface.
Age differences: Chicks are fed regurgitated stomach oil rich in lipids, while adults consume whole marine organisms.
Primary Foods
- Flying Fish
- Squid
- Goatfish
- Larval Crustaceans
Foraging Method
- Pursuit
Ecological connections
mutualism
Skipjack Tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
Tuna drive schools of small fish to the ocean surface, making them accessible to the foraging shearwaters.
eaten by
Polynesian Rat
Rattus exulans
An invasive predator that raids nesting burrows on islands to consume shearwater eggs and defenseless chicks.
competitor
Great Frigatebird
Fregata minor
Harasses shearwaters in flight to force them to regurgitate their catch, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism.
Traits
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Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
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Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Wedge-Tailed Shearwater?
The easiest way to identify Wedge-Tailed Shearwater is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How long is Wedge-Tailed Shearwater?
41+ cm
What is Wedge-Tailed Shearwater's wingspan?
97+ cm
How much does Wedge-Tailed Shearwater weigh?
0.3+ kg
How long does Wedge-Tailed Shearwater live?
10+ years
How fast can Wedge-Tailed Shearwater move?
60 km/h
What does Wedge-Tailed Shearwater eat?
Feeds primarily on small fish, squid, and crustaceans captured at or just below the ocean's surface.
Where is Wedge-Tailed Shearwater usually found?
Found across open tropical and subtropical oceans, nesting primarily on offshore sandy or rocky islands with low vegetation or loose soil suitable for digging burrows.
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