Fluttering Shearwater vs Balearic Shearwater
Puffinus gavia compared with Puffinus mauretanicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Fluttering Shearwater | Balearic Shearwater |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Puffinus gavia | Puffinus mauretanicus |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.6 cm (15.6 in) | 48.4 cm (19.1 in) |
| Weight | 267.6666666666667 g (9.44 oz) | 514.8 g (18.16 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Fluttering Shearwater
Critically Endangered
Balearic Shearwater
About These Birds
Fluttering Shearwater
33 cm. Dark brown above; white below; relatively short-tailed. Breeds New Zealand North Island coast; non-breeding range restricted to Tasman Sea and nearby waters. Sedentary compared to most shearwaters; feeds on fish and squid. Near Threatened due to small range.
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.