The RSPB: Great shearwater

Conservation status: Amber

A large shearwater, about the same size as a fulmar. It has dark grey-brown upperparts and pale underparts with a distinctive dark cap and pale neck, as well as dark underwing edges.

Overview

Latin name

Puffinus gravis

Family

Petrels and shearwaters (Procellariidae)

Where to see them

Seen only offshore, mainly along the north and west coasts of Scotland and the south-west coast of England. Best looked for from headlands when the winds are onshore.

When to see them

Seen off the UK coasts mainly between late July and early September

What they eat

Fish and squid

Population

Europe	UK breeding*	UK wintering*	UK passage*
-	-	-	Hundreds to thousands

* UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.