Latin name

Puffinus griseus

Family

Procellariidae)

Overview

The sooty shearwater is a seabird, that is smaller than a herring gull. It is a large shearwater, with dark brown body and wings and long wings. Its bill is dark and when seen close up, there is a pale band along the underneath of the wings. It does not breed in the UK, but makes a huge clockwise migration up the western Atlantic in spring to spend the northern summer in the north Atlantic. Then in summer/autumn it moves down into UK waters on its return to the southern ocean to breed.

Where to see them

Best looked for from seawatching places in late summer and autumn.

When to see them

August-October.

What they eat

Fish, squid, crustaceans and offal from fishing boats.

This text was provided with kind permission from the RSPB www.rspb.org.uk