Subantarctic Shearwater vs Balearic Shearwater
Puffinus elegans compared with Puffinus mauretanicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Subantarctic Shearwater | Balearic Shearwater |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Puffinus elegans | Puffinus mauretanicus |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.8 cm (14.5 in) | 48.4 cm (19.1 in) |
| Weight | 222.5 g (7.85 oz) | 514.8 g (18.16 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Subantarctic Shearwater only
Balearic Shearwater only
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Subantarctic Shearwater
Critically Endangered
Balearic Shearwater
About These Birds
Subantarctic Shearwater
27–30 cm. Dark above; white below with clean sharp borders; slightly larger than related small shearwaters. Breeds subantarctic islands (Tristan da Cunha, Gough, St. Paul). Ranges in subantarctic Southern Ocean. Separated from Little Shearwater by range and subtle differences.
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.