Fauna
Bird

Short-tailed Shearwater

Puffinus tenuirostris

Also known as Slender-billed Shearwater, Muttonbird, Yula, Moonbird

Short-tailed shearwaters undertake an astonishing annual trans-equatorial migration, flying up to thirty thousand kilometers in a massive figure-eight loop across the Pacific Ocean to spend the northern summer around Alaska and the Arctic. During the austral spring, millions return with remarkable fidelity to the very same sandy burrows on Tasmanian and southern Australian islands. At dusk, rafts of hundreds of thousands gather offshore before swirling onto land under cover of darkness, filling the colony with eerie wailing cries as partners reunite.

MigratoryPelagicColonial
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAntarctic Krill, Arrow Squid, Anchovies
Predators
  • Pacific Gull
  • Swamp Harrier
  • Feral Cat
ThreatsMarine heatwaves, plastic ingestion, longline bycatch, burrow trampling
HabitatsPelagic open ocean and offshore breeding islands
Life span15–38 years
Classification
  1. FamilyProcellariidae
  2. SpeciesPuffinus tenuirostris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Look for compact, dark sooty-brown seabirds flying low over ocean swells, or clustered sandy burrow entrances riddling grassy headlands.
Support conservation
Remain on marked boardwalks in colony areas, keep artificial lights pointed away from flight paths, and never probe nesting burrows.
Responsible observation
  • Island etiquette: Stay strictly on designated boardwalks to prevent stepping on fragile underground nesting burrows.
  • Night observation: Use red-filtered flashlights during nocturnal colony landings to avoid disorienting birds in flight.
  • Grounded fledglings: Use a towel to gently place disoriented birds in dark boxes before releasing them toward the sea.
Related species
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