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Manx Shearwater - Page 2

© Fred J. Kane

Their voice has many sounds. They have a harsh cackling, screaming, gurgling and wailing sounds. A description of their voice on The Isle of Man, in 1731 says this: "The spirit which haunted the coasts have originated in this noise. , described as infernal. The disturbed spirit of a person shipwrecked on a rock adjacent to this coast wanders about it still, and sometimes makes so terrible a yelling that it is heard at an incredible distance. They tell you that houses even shake with it; and that, not only mankind, but all the brute creation within hearing, tremble at the sound. But what serves very much to increase the shock is that, whenever it makes this extraordinary noise, it is a sure prediction of an approaching storm. . . . At other times the spirit cries out only, " Hoa, hoa, hoa !" with a voice little, if anything, louder than a human one."

Manx Shearwater do migrate from Wales and some British birds winter off the coast of South America.

Economic value- Man has valued the shearwater for centuries. They take the birds for their stomach oil and the young bird's down is used for bedding. The farmers that work the island capture the young birds at the beginning of August. After being captured they are salted and barrelled, and when eaten they are served with boiled potatoes. They say their flesh is permitted to be eaten in Lent, because it tastes like to fish.

Preyed upon by man and the rats that escaped from a wrecked merchant vessel.

Interesting facts- Manx Shearwaters live about 15 years in the wild and in captivity the birds lived up to 30 years of age.

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