Streaked Shearwater
Overview
Streaked Shearwater: Large shearwater with scaled, dark gray-brown upperparts, white underparts. White head has variable light to heavy pale brown streaks. Uppertail coverts can be white, forming a pale "horseshoe." The forehead is white. Bill is pale. Legs and feet are pink. Eats small fish and squid. Flies with loose, angled wings. Light, graceful flapping and gliding.
Range and Habitat
Streaked Shearwater: Breeds in large numbers on islands of southern Japan. In autumn may be seen in Hawaii and, occasionally, off the coast of California. Pelagic, comes ashore only to breed.
INTERESTING FACTS
The Streaked Shearwater uses burrows to nest in. It prefers to dig them on forested hills.
They are abundant and widespread, however some mortality occurs from entanglement in fishing nets, and from predation by cats and rats. In addition, it is harvested by some traditional endemic human cultures.
A group of shearwaters are collectively known as an "improbability" of shearwaters.
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