Tropical shearwater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tropical shearwater |
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|---|---|
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| in Réunion | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Puffinus
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| Species: |
bailloni
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| Subspecies | |
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5, see text |
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The tropical shearwater (its scientific name is Puffinus bailloni) is a cool seabird. It's part of the Procellariidae family, which includes many ocean-going birds. For a while, people thought it was the same as Audubon's shearwater, but now we know they are different species.
Different Types of Tropical Shearwaters
Did you know there are five different kinds, or subspecies, of the tropical shearwater? They are all a bit different depending on where they live.
- Puffinus bailloni nicolae – This type breeds on islands in the northwest Indian Ocean. It was first described by Christian Jouanin in 1971.
- Puffinus bailloni colstoni – You can find this one breeding in the Aldabra Islands in the Seychelles. It was described by Hadoram Shirihai and Christie in 1996.
- Puffinus bailloni bailloni – This is the original type, found in Mauritius, Réunion, and Europa Island. It was first described by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1857.
- Puffinus bailloni dichrous – This subspecies lives on islands in the central Pacific Ocean. It was described by Otto Finsch and Gustav Hartlaub in 1867.
- Puffinus bailloni gunax – This type makes its home in Vanuatu. It was described by Gregory Mathews in 1930.
Where Do They Live?
The tropical shearwater lives in warm, tropical parts of the world. You can find them in the western Indian Ocean, from East Africa all the way to southern India. They also live in similar warm areas of the Pacific Ocean, from just southeast of Japan down to French Polynesia.
How Many Tropical Shearwaters Are There?
Scientists haven't counted every single tropical shearwater, but they have good estimates!
The biggest known group lives on Aride Island in the Seychelles. About 26,118 pairs of these birds live there. A "pair" means a male and female bird that are breeding together.
Smaller groups of the P. b. bailloni subspecies breed on nearby islands like Cousin, Cousine, and Recif. These islands are special because they don't have rats, which can harm bird eggs and chicks.
For the P. b. dichrous subspecies, there are an estimated 1,000 to 10,000 pairs on the Line Islands. Even more, about 10,000 to 100,000 pairs, live on the Phoenix Islands.
The original P. b. bailloni subspecies has about 3,000 to 5,000 pairs on Réunion. There are fewer than 100 birds on Europa Island. Scientists think there are many more breeding places on other islands in the Pacific that haven't been fully counted yet.
Good news! The total number of tropical shearwaters seems to be steady and not decreasing.
