Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Wedge-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 pacifica

Malay Name: Itik-itik Dahi Putih

Chinese Name: 楔尾鹱

Range: Ranges throughout the tropical Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 38-47cm

Identification: Dark morph with dark brown plumage throughout, distinguished from Short-tailed Shearwater by longer toe extension past tail and proportionally longer bill to head ratio. Pale morph with dark brown upperparts, from regionally expected (but still unrecorded) Streaked Shearwater by lack of white on face and presence of black borders on leading edge of the underwing.

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

Habitat: Open seas.

Behaviour/Ecology: Flight direct, consisting of rapid wing beats interspersed between long glides.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

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):

Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Early date 22 Jun 1998
Late date 23 Jun 2021
One of the rarest seabirds in Singapore. Both past records have been of vagrants appearing inland, possibly blown ashore by weather conditions.

References:

BirdLife International. (2018). Ardenna pacifica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698175A132631353.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

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