Short-tailed Shearwater

Short-tailed Shearwater
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Ardenna tenuirostris

Malay Name: Itik-itik Ekor Pendek Pasifik

Chinese Name: 短尾鹱

Alternative Name(s): Muttonbird

Range: Breeds in SE Australia and wanders north into the Pacific Ocean outside breeding season

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 41-43 cm

Identification: Overall dark sooty-brown plumage with pale chin, slightly paler breast and belly, prominent whitish area at the centre of underwing and toes extend beyond tip of short tail when in flight.

Similar looking species: Bulwer's Petrel, Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Habitat: Open seas

Behaviour/Ecology: Flight direct, consisting of a flapping rise followed by a long downward glide.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Featured reports: May 2024

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Short-tailed Shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Early date 24 Apr 2021
Late date 29 May 2021
Best seen in April and May, when this species migrates through the Singapore Straits annually.
Short-tailed Shearwater at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Goh Cheng Teng
Short-tailed Shearwater at Singapore Strait. Photo Credit: Con Foley
Short-tailed Shearwater at Straits of Singapore. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Short-tailed Shearwater at Tanjung Dawai. Photo Credit: Neoh Hor Kee
Short-tailed Shearwater at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Short-tailed Shearwater at Tanjung Dawai. Photo Credit: Neoh Hor Kee
Short-tailed Shearwater at Straits of Singapore. Photo Credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Short-tailed Shearwater at Tanjung Dawai. Photo Credit: Neoh Hor Kee
Short-tailed Shearwater at Singapore Strait. Photo Credit: Con Foley
Short-tailed Shearwater at Tanjung Dawai. Photo Credit: Neoh Hor Kee
Short-tailed Shearwaters at Straits of Singapore. Photo Credit: See Toh Yew Wai

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Short-tailed Shearwater)

References:

BirdLife International. (2018). Ardenna tenuirostris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698216A132635686.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Short-tailed Shearwater. Retrieved on April 28, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/short-tailed-shearwater.

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