Manx Shearwater by Helen Smith

Manx Shearwater P. puffinus is a monotypic black and white medium-sized tubenose of the Atlantic Ocean, breeding on islets off Iceland, Faeroe Islands, British Isles and NW France, but also Atlantic islands (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands). Also breeding off NE Canada and Massachusetts. In winter, distributed across the whole Atlantic, down to the Cape of Good Hope and the Cape Horn, but absent from the Gulf of Guinea. Closely related Yelkouan Shearwater P. yelkouan is endemic to the Mediterranean, breeding from French islands to the eastern waters, wintering in the Black Sea too. Balearic Shearwater P. mauretanicus breeds only on Balearic Islands, and disperse in the Atlantic, especially the Bay of Biscay and Chanel, in the non-breeding season.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendUnknown
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		693000-779000,733000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Manx Shearwater

The available data concern predominantly puffinus, ringed in the British Isles, and dispersing to many directions, to the West, South West and South. There are some recoveries to very long distances, in southern Argentina and South Africa. There are also numerous recoveries in Europe, across British waters, the North Sea and in the Gulf of Biscay. Tracking data of puffinus concern only the breeding season (Guilford et al. 2008; Wischnewski et al. 2019). Very few local recoveries of yelkouan along French and Italian coasts. Few recoveries of mauretanicus too, but more spread around Balearic Islands, from the Algerian coast to the Bay of Biscay.

Recoveries by Condition for Manx Shearwater

Historically two third of dead recoveries before 1960, turning to almost only live recoveries, but on breeding colonies, after 1990. Most recoveries obtained in the 2000s and from April to August.

Annual Movements for Manx Shearwater

The relative dates of recoveries along South American coasts suggest a progression towards the South as the non-breeding season progresses, with records along Brazil in October-November, and along Argentina from November to February. Recoveries in the Bay of Biscay are mainly from March to May, suggesting that Manx Shearwaters moved to these waters on their way back to the breeding colonies. Movements between breeding colonies occur between March and September.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Manx Shearwater

Most recoveries of puffinus concern movements between breeding colonies during the breeding season, mostly from March to October. Recoveries along South American Atlantic coasts have been obtained in all months, but less numerous from May to September. Recoveries far South off Africa are from November and January. There is an extra-limital recovery of a British Manx in Australia in November 1961. Balearic birds are recovered outside the Mediterranean mainly in July to September, with birds returning to the Balearic Islands from November onwards.

Frédéric Jiguet

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Guilford, T., Meade, J., Freeman, R., Biro, D., Evans, T.J., Bonadonna, F., Boyle, D., Roberts, S.J., Perrins, C.M.2008 . GPS tracking of the foraging movements of Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus breeding on Skomer Island, Wales. Ibis 150 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00805.x)
Wischnewski, S., Arneill, G.E., Bennison, A.W., Dillane, E., Poupart, T.A., Hinde, C.A., Jessopp, M.J., Quinn, J.L.2019 . Variation in foraging strategies over a large spatial scale reduces parent–offspring conflict in Manx shearwaters. Animal Behaviour 151 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.014) : 165–176

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