Hello everyone! Today, I would like to talk about the summer bird, the Streaked Shearwater.
The Streaked Shearwater is a large bird, measuring about 48 cm in length and with a wingspan reaching up to 120 cm. It resembles seagulls and black-tailed gulls, but its long, slender wings in flight are distinctive. The upper part of its body is dark brown, and its head features white feathers mixed with dark brown spots. Their legs are pink, and there is little visual difference between males and females, although males are generally slightly larger.
The Streaked Shearwater excels at gliding over the sea. However, it struggles to take off from the ground. Instead, it uses slopes for a running start or jumps off high places to take to the sky, which is quite endearing.
They feed on fish and mollusks, with anchovies being a particular favorite. They swim on the surface and dive shallowly to catch their prey. When they find food, many individuals gather at the spot, making the sea surface lively.
Remarkably, they dig burrows about 1 meter deep in the forest! These burrows vary in shape, showing individual personalities. They raise their young from spring to summer. After the breeding season, they live at sea, migrating to warmer regions for the winter. Their calls are different between sexes: males call “pee-wee,” while females call “gwaaa.”
Incidentally, the Streaked Shearwater is also cherished as the prefectural bird of Kyoto. Next time you visit the seaside, be sure to look up and try to spot a Streaked Shearwater. See you next time!
