General
Manx Shearwater: Seabird about size of Common Tern. Dark, brown-grey upperparts and white underparts. Has grey eye ring and slender, dark grey bill. Dark coloration extends onto side of neck. Underwing white with black trailing edge to wing. Flies with rapid wingbeats followed by gliding. Sexes and ages similar. In rough weather, has swoops up and down without beating its long, pointed wings.
Range and Habitat
Manx Shearwater: Summer breeder at coastlines and offshore islands in the UK and Ireland. Grounds include Western and Northern Isles, coasts of northwest Scotland, Wales, east and west Ireland and the Isle of Man. Visible during the summer and on spring and autumn passage. Winters in coastal South America.
Breeding and Nesting
Manx Shearwater: Nest is an excavated burrow about one metre deep. Only one egg is laid, and only one brood per season. Female incubates first, then parents trade shifts about every six days for 7 to 8 weeks. Both parents feed young for about 6 weeks, but eventually desert them underground.
Foraging and Feeding
Manx Shearwater: Feeds on squid, small crustaceans and little fish like sardines and herrings. They forage alone or in small flocks staying close to large marine mammals such as whales, that will push food to the surface of the water.
Vocalisation
Manx Shearwater: On breeding grounds makes raucous, coughing calls, especially when in colonies.
Similar Species
Manx Shearwater: Larger Great Shearwater has a white nape rump bar, and a dark belly patch. Sooty Shearwater is very dark and completely lacks the bright white underparts.