One of the 5 shearwaters on WAnimals
Birds · Procellariiformes · Procellariidae
Balearic Shearwater
Puffinus mauretanicus
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The Balearic shearwater is a procellariiform bird of the family Procellariidae that lives in the Mediterranean and the north-eastern Atlantic but breeds only in the Balearic archipelago. It is called baldritja on Mallorca and Menorca and virot on the Pityusic Islands. In the past it was regarded as a subspecies of the Manx or the Mediterranean shearwater. The rapid decline of its populations, caused by disturbance in its small breeding range, means it is considered critically endangered.
Weight
450 g – 600 g
Size
34 cm – 39 cm
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Estimated population
Around 3,000 breeding pairs
Fun facts
- GeneralThe most threatened seabird in Europe; it breeds only in the Balearics.
- conservaciónIt is one of the most threatened seabirds in Europe, breeding almost entirely in the Balearic Islands, with a small world population.
- It is a strict Spanish endemic: every colony in the world is in the Balearics, and Spain is therefore directly responsible for the future of the species.
- Its wintering range has been shifting northwards over recent decades, following the movement of small pelagic fish populations as the Atlantic warms.
- Population models give it a mean life expectancy of a few decades if current mortality rates from longlining and introduced predators continue.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Islets and sea cliffs; the open sea in winter
- Sexual maturity
- 6 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 50 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 egg
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffinus_mauretanicus
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 14 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Balearic Shearwater — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Yelkouan Shearwater
Puffinus yelkouan
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
Least ConcernScopoli's Shearwater
Calonectris diomedea
Northern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Tope
Galeorhinus galeus
Cape Petrel
Daption capense
How to help
The balearic shearwater is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 9 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about balearic shearwater.
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