A relatively large, bulky, all-dark shearwater. Adult is blackish brown overall; plumage is uniformly dark and the underwing linings are near black. Legs and bill are pink. Broader-winged than Sooty and Short-tailed Shearwaters, which have dark bills and pearly gray to near white wing linings.

Length: 50 (cm) Wingspan: 109 (cm)

Habitat:

Open ocean; rarely seen from shore.

Behavior:

Nests on oceanic islands, laying one egg inside burrow. At sea, a strong flier; stiff-winged, aerodynamic flight uses air currents off waves. Sometimes follows boats to scavenge scraps.

Feeding:

Plunge-dives or picks food from water's surface; eats a variety of fish, squid, other small aquatic organisms, and scraps.