Scopoli's Shearwater
Calonectris diomedea
Also known as: Cory's Shearwater, Mediterranean Shearwater
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
535 g
About This Species
A pelagic seabird of the Mediterranean and adjacent Atlantic, spending most of its life far offshore and coming to land only to breed on remote rocky islets and sea cliffs. Watch for stiff-winged, dynamic soaring low over swell, often in loose flocks trailing fishing boats or gathering over feeding shoals of small fish. Boat trips and island crossings between spring and early autumn, especially near known colonies, give the best chance of a close pass.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Breeding colonies are on cliffs and burrows that are easily disturbed, and adults are clumsy and vulnerable if startled off eggs or chicks, so keep well back from nesting ledges and never approach after dark when birds are most active ashore.
- Many of its Mediterranean breeding sites sit within protected areas or Natura 2000 sites where landing or approaching colonies is restricted, though rules vary by country and island, so check local protections before visiting a known site.
- At sea, view from a steady boat rather than motoring directly at rafting or feeding birds.
Seasonal Activity
217,582 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Procellariidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 535 g
Photo
(c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.