Subantarctic Shearwater

Puffinus elegans Giglioli & Salvadori, 1869

226 gWeight

The subantarctic shearwater (Puffinus elegans) is a small bird species which breeds in Tristan da Cunha, islands of the southern Indian Ocean and New Zealand Subantarctic Islands.

Busiest months: April · Most records: St. Helena, Chile, New Zealand

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Subantarctic Shearwater has been recorded at 14 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Nearshore waters (0-2mi/3km) - Gaggins Point to Rockhopper PointSt. Helena15 records
Gough Island general pelagic - CircumnavigationSt. Helena8 records
Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands6 records

More places

Valparaíso – PelágicoChile6 records
Nightingale IslandSt. Helena5 records
Quintero – PelágicoChile5 records
Stewart Island – east coast pelagic watersNew Zealand4 records
Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic TripAustralia2 records
Transbordador Pargua-ChacaoChile2 records
Nugget PointNew Zealand1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

St. Helena Chile New Zealand Falkland Islands Australia South Africa

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The subantarctic shearwater (Puffinus elegans) is a small bird species which breeds in Tristan da Cunha, islands of the southern Indian Ocean and New Zealand Subantarctic Islands.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Subantarctic Shearwater?

The Subantarctic Shearwater weighs around 226 g.

Where does the Subantarctic Shearwater live?

Its breeding range: Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean: Tristan da Cunha and Gough (south-central Atlantic), Star Keys (Chatham Islands, east of South Island) and Antipodes Islands (southeast of South Island; New Zealand). It is most often recorded in St. Helena, Chile and New Zealand.

When is the best time to see the Subantarctic Shearwater?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Subantarctic Shearwater endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Subantarctic Shearwater as Least Concern.

What does the Subantarctic Shearwater eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Subantarctic Shearwater in?

It belongs to the family Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels (Procellariidae), order Procellariiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 226 g
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Varied
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 184 mm
Tail: 65 mm
Bill: 29 mm
Tarsus: 40 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean: Tristan da Cunha and Gough (south-central Atlantic), Star Keys (Chatham Islands, east of South Island) and Antipodes Islands (southeast of South Island; New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2