Pink-footed Shearwater
Ardenna creatopus

Conservation status | Still numerous as a visitor to North American waters. Declining on some of its nesting islands because of the effects of introduced predators, including rats and coatis. |
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Family | Shearwaters and Petrels |
Habitat | Open ocean. Mainly found well offshore over relatively shallow waters of continental shelf. Rarely seen from shore, and rarely over deep mid-ocean waters. Nests on islands with soil suitable for nesting burrows. |
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Feeding Behavior
Forages mostly by plunging into water from flight or diving from surface, and swimming short distance underwater with wings spread; also seizes items while swimming on surface. May follow boats for scraps or offal.
Eggs
One. White. Both sexes probably incubate; incubation period not known. Young: Probably fed by both parents during nocturnal visits; age at first flight not known. Young depart nesting islands in April and May.
Young
Probably fed by both parents during nocturnal visits; age at first flight not known. Young depart nesting islands in April and May.
Diet
Includes fish and squid. Diet not well known; in addition to fish and squid, probably eats various crustaceans.
Nesting
Breeding behavior not well known. Nests in colonies on islands far off coast of Chile. Active at colonies mostly at dusk and at night. Adults gather near colonies in September; by October, some two months before eggs are laid, pairs may be resting together in burrows. Mated pairs may call softly in duet, preen each other's head and neck. Nest: Site is in burrow underground, often more than four feet long. Nest chamber may have sparse lining. Most eggs probably laid in early December.
Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
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Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds
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Migration
Migrates north after breeding, commonly seen off North America's west coast from May to November, with peak numbers in September. A few seen at other seasons at our latitudes are nonbreeders or immatures.

- All Seasons - Common
- All Seasons - Uncommon
- Breeding - Common
- Breeding - Uncommon
- Winter - Common
- Winter - Uncommon
- Migration - Common
- Migration - Uncommon
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Learn moreSongs and Calls
Silent at sea.Learn more about this sound collection.