Puffinus assimilis Gould, 1838

Flight Pattern

This species, the little shearwater Puffinus assimilis Gould, 1838, shares the characteristic "shearing" flight of its genus. It glides from side to side on stiff wings with few wing beats, and its wingtips almost touch the water.

Flight Variations & Shape

In light winds, however, its flight includes more flapping than the flight of its larger close relatives. In flight, the bird appears cross-shaped, as it holds its wings at a right angle to its body.

Flight Coloration

When it flies low over the sea, it alternately exposes its black upperparts and white underparts, so its overall colouration appears to shift between black and white.

Size Measurements

It measures 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in) in total length, with a wingspan of 58–67 cm (23–26 in).

Wing Morphology

It resembles a small Manx shearwater, but has proportionally shorter and broader wings, with a pale patch on its inner flight feathers.

Facial & Bill Features

Its bill is more slender than the bill of a Manx shearwater, and its dark eye contrasts clearly with the white feathering that surrounds it.

Subspecies & Distribution

Four subspecies are currently recognized, each with a distinct distribution: P. a. assimilis Gould, 1838 is found on Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island; P. a. haurakiensis Fleming, CA & Serventy, 1943 is found in northeastern North Island, New Zealand; P. a. kermadecensis Murphy, 1927 is found on the Kermadec Islands; and P. a. tunneyi Mathews, 1912 is found on islands off the southwestern coast of Australia.

Breeding Habitat

This shearwater breeds in colonies on islands and coastal cliffs.

Nesting Behavior

It nests in burrows, which it only visits at night to avoid predation by large gulls.