H2: Basic Description
The Sooty Shearwater is a medium-sized bird that measures about 36 to 45 cm in length with a wingspan of up to 105 cm. It has dark brown or blackish-brown plumage, and its underbelly is lighter in color. This bird has long and narrow wings, which are used for gliding effortlessly over the ocean surface.
H2: Where To Find This Bird
Sooty Shearwaters are known for their extraordinary migration patterns. During breeding season, they can be found in southern parts of the Pacific Ocean near New Zealand and Australia. However, during non-breeding months (April to September), they travel northward along the west coast of North America as far as Alaska.
H2: Habitat
Sooty Shearwaters spend most of their time at sea and only come ashore during breeding season when they nest on remote islands. Their nesting habitat includes burrows or crevices among rocks or vegetation on cliff faces. While not nesting, these birds prefer open water habitats such as oceans or large lakes.
H2: Food
As true pelagic feeders, Sooty Shearwaters obtain food primarily from the ocean’s surface while flying low above it. They feed on small fish like anchovies and sardines by diving into schools of fish from great heights or scooping them up with their bills mid-flight.
H2: Cool Facts
One incredible fact about this seabird is that they cover an average distance of 64,000 km annually during migration – equivalent to circling around Earth three times! Additionally, Sooty Shearwaters have been documented traveling more than half a million kilometers throughout their lifetime—the same distance between Earth and moon!
In conclusion, Sooty Shearwaters may seem ordinary but are truly remarkable creatures that possess incredible adaptations suited for life at sea; if you ever come across them while out at sea or near coastal areas, take a moment to appreciate these incredible birds.
