Broad-billed Prion vs Balearic Shearwater
Pachyptila vittata compared with Puffinus mauretanicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Broad-billed Prion | Balearic Shearwater |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pachyptila vittata | Puffinus mauretanicus |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.0 cm (15.4 in) | 48.4 cm (19.1 in) |
| Weight | 187.0 g (6.60 oz) | 514.8 g (18.16 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Broad-billed Prion
Critically Endangered
Balearic Shearwater
About These Birds
Broad-billed Prion
25–30 cm, wingspan 57–66 cm. Largest prion; pale blue-grey above, white below with dark M-mark across wings. Bill broad, blue with lamellae for filter-feeding on copepods. Breeds Tristan da Cunha and New Zealand subantarctic. Feeds by hydroplaning with bill submerged.
Balearic Shearwater
30–38 cm. Brown above; variably dirty-white to brown below; often shows brown smudging on flanks. Breeds only Balearic Islands, Spain. Critically Endangered with fewer than 3,000 pairs; faces extinction. Migrates to NE Atlantic; threatened by predators, fishing bycatch, and tourist development.