Soft-plumaged Petrel vs Balearic Shearwater
Pterodroma mollis compared with Puffinus mauretanicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Soft-plumaged Petrel | Balearic Shearwater |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pterodroma mollis | Puffinus mauretanicus |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 48.6 cm (19.1 in) | 48.4 cm (19.1 in) |
| Weight | 315.0 g (11.11 oz) | 514.8 g (18.16 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Soft-plumaged Petrel
Critically Endangered
Balearic Shearwater
About These Birds
Soft-plumaged Petrel
32–37 cm, wingspan 83–95 cm. Grey above; white below with a distinctive dark partial breast-band and dark-streaked face. Breeds Tristan, Gough, and southern Indian Ocean islands. Ranges widely in Southern Ocean. Feeds on fish and squid; arcs steeply in strong winds.
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.