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Sooty Shearwater

© Fred J. Kane

Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) In Maori- Titi

Other names people call the Sooty Shearwater are the King, New Zealand Muttonbird, Sombre Petrel or Sombre Shearwater.

The Shearwaters are members of the sub division class of the Procellariidae family.

Charles Darwin in The Voyage of the Beagle said, "The Sooty Shearwater generally frequents the inland sounds of southern Chile in very large flocks: I do not think I ever saw so many birds of any other sort together, as I once saw of these behind the island of Chiloe. Hundreds of thousands flew in an irregular line for several hours in one direction. When part of the flock settled on the water the surface was blackened, and a noise proceeded from them as of human beings talking in the distance."

There are five known Shearwaters in the New Zealand area. The Sooty Shearwater, (Puffinus griseus) is the most prevalent and has the largest population of sea birds in New Zealand's waters.

When gliding and flying near the surface of the water observers sees its brown hefty body much like the Short Tailed Shearwater. As the Shearwater changes directions while in flight you will see dim coloring on its feathers. Usually the Shearwater flaps its stiff wings and goes into a prolonged flowing glide. Some people confuse Shearwaters as being Cape Petrels because of numerous albino Shearwaters. When flying or gliding low over the waters it reminds some birders of the gliding of a Chimney Swift.

When reaching adulthood the Shearwarer stands about 16 inches tall and in flight displays a wing span of about three and one half feet. It has a dark colored curved beak with a bump on the top of its bill. With its gray head, body and feet colored lilac with dark spotting it appears about the size of a mallard duck. The Shearwater's dark brown eyes, its superior build, admirable neck and head demands being defined as a rare beauty. Because it only visits land to breed its legs are weak and doesn't seem to stand and appears continually stooped.

Total world population is in the tens of millions. The Shearwater breeds on islands off Cape Horn and other nearby islands, The Kidney Island in the Falklands, islands off New South Wales, Australia, south east Tasmania and islands around New Zealand including the Auckland Islands.

Both sexes of Shearwaters are similar and some people identify them improperly as gulls, Northern Fulmar, Flesh Footed and Short tailed Shearwaters.