Manx Shearwater

A black-and-white shearwater banking low over the waves.

A recording has not been added yet. Use the identification notes below for now.

I know this bird · Record a sighting Where to look & how to find it ↓

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Season first

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Mainly spring to autumn
Where to start: Safe public harbour walls and coastal viewpoints.
What to do when you arrive: In spring and summer, scan from safe land-based seawatching points for dark-backed, white-bellied birds shearing low over waves. Avoid exposed cliffs in bad weather and night visits to breeding islands.

Habitat and behaviour reference: BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

SPECIES NOTESSpecies notes

How to identify it

Dark upperparts and white underparts with a slender dark bill and long narrow wings. Strong upper/lower contrast; on water, check bill and proportions against auks.

Habitat

Bays, harbours, coastal waters and offshore islands.

Behaviour

Feeds at sea and returns to island burrows after dark to avoid predators.

When to look

Mainly spring to autumn

Where to look

Safe public harbour walls and coastal viewpoints.

Reference photos do not show every sex, age, season or geographic form; use the identification notes too.

Further reading:BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · Wikipedia ↗

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