A large, bulky, all-dark shearwater. The blackishbrown plumage is darkest on the head and primaries. The wing-coverts have brown margins that become paler with wear. The blackish tail may be either gently wedged or rounded. Individuals are readily distinguished from most other all-dark shearwaters by a large, dark-tipped, pale bill. The species may be confused with the Black Petrel, especially where their ranges overlap in the south-eastern Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The Black Petrel is larger and bulkier with a larger head, thicker neck and longer, broader wings. Whilst in flight the black feet of the Black Petrel trail slightly beyond the tip of their short wedge-shaped tail.
Not Threatened.
A large, bulky, all-dark shearwater. The blackishbrown plumage is darkest on the head and primaries. The wing-coverts have brown margins that become paler with wear. The blackish tail may be either gently wedged or rounded. Individuals are readily distinguished from most other all-dark shearwaters by a large, dark-tipped, pale bill. The species may be confused with the Black Petrel, especially where their ranges overlap in the south-eastern Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The Black Petrel is larger and bulkier with a larger head, thicker neck and longer, broader wings. Whilst in flight the black feet of the Black Petrel trail slightly beyond the tip of their short wedge-shaped tail.
VOICE: Calls on the ground in a short repeated gug-gug-gug followed by a hoarse, crooning ku-koo-ah repeated 3-6 times, becoming increasingly hysterical until koo becomes a scream.
40-45cm, wingspan 99-107cm, tail 10.9-11.5cm, weight 580-750g
Taxonomy:
- Puffinus carneipes Gould, 1844, small islands off Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia. Sometimes considered conspecific with P. creatopus; these two may form superspecies with P. gravis. Birds from Lord Howe I and New Zealand may merit separation in race hullianus, on grounds of different migratory routes and slight size differences. Monotypic. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
- St Paul I (S Indian Ocean) and SW Australia, with single isolated colony in South Australia; Lord Howe I (off E Australia) and North I (New Zealand).
The marine, pelagic Fleshy-footed Shearwater has been recorded mainly in subtropical waters, over continental shelves and slopes. Breeding may occur on islands within the Australasian region and Indian Ocean. Nests are made in burrows on gentle to steep slopes, located where burrowing is not restricted by dense vegetation, deep litter or bare rock.
The Fleshy-footed Shearwater feeds by pursuit-plunging after fish and squid, with some surface-seizing, surface-plunging and pursuit-diving to 4m. The species has been recorded taking offal from behind fishing boats, running among gulls to seize offal from the beach and feeding at the edge of shoals of fish on the down-current side of tidal streams.
Breeds from late August to December. Nests are enlarged chambers at the end of burrows, with the entrance often blocked by plant material. Both parents may incubate the egg and feed the young for a short period. During mid-April the well grown chicks start fledging