Common Diving-petrel vs Balearic Shearwater
Pelecanoides urinatrix compared with Puffinus mauretanicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Diving-petrel | Balearic Shearwater |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pelecanoides urinatrix | Puffinus mauretanicus |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.3 cm (9.6 in) | 48.4 cm (19.1 in) |
| Weight | 135.5 g (4.78 oz) | 514.8 g (18.16 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Common Diving-petrel
Critically Endangered
Balearic Shearwater
About These Birds
Common Diving-petrel
20–25 cm. Dark above; white below; broad wings used for underwater propulsion. Most widespread diving-petrel; breeds New Zealand, southern Australia, Falklands, and subantarctic islands. Feeds on small fish and crustaceans by diving. Highly vulnerable to introduced predators at nesting colonies.
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.