Streaked Shearwater
Encyclopedia
The Streaked Shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas is a species
of seabird
. The bird is 48 cm in size, with a 122 cm wingspan.
This species is pelagic, but also occurs in inshore waters. It occurs in the Pacific Ocean
, nesting in Japan
and many of its offshore islands. After breeding, the Streaked Shearwater will migrate toward southern Australia
. It has been reported well off the west coast of the United States
.
The Streaked Shearwater feds mainly on fish
and squid
. It does follow fishing boats, attracted to anchovy
crawls off Japan.
Streaked Shearwater uses burrow
s to nest in. It prefers forested hills.
This bird is abundant and widespread, however some mortality occurs through becoming entangled in fishing
nets, and from some predation by cats and rats
. In addition, it is harvested by some traditional endemic human cultures.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
. The bird is 48 cm in size, with a 122 cm wingspan.
This species is pelagic, but also occurs in inshore waters. It occurs in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, nesting in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and many of its offshore islands. After breeding, the Streaked Shearwater will migrate toward southern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has been reported well off the west coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Streaked Shearwater feds mainly on fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
. It does follow fishing boats, attracted to anchovy
Anchovy
Anchovies are a family of small, common salt-water forage fish. There are 144 species in 17 genera, found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Anchovies are usually classified as an oily fish.-Description:...
crawls off Japan.
Streaked Shearwater uses burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
s to nest in. It prefers forested hills.
This bird is abundant and widespread, however some mortality occurs through becoming entangled in fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
nets, and from some predation by cats and rats
RATS
RATS may refer to:* RATS , Regression Analysis of Time Series, a statistical package* Rough Auditing Tool for Security, a computer program...
. In addition, it is harvested by some traditional endemic human cultures.