Birds diurnal

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Ardenna carneipes

A majestic ocean voyager with striking pink feet and a distinct bi-colored bill. These deep-diving seabirds bridge the gap between the vast Indo-Pacific waves and the hidden burrows of remote islands.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 40–45 cm (16–18 in); Wingspan: 99–118 cm (39–46 in); Weight: 550–750 g (1.2–1.6 lbs)

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Colors

Uniform dark chocolate-brown to black plumage; pale pinkish-yellow bill with a dark tip; light pinkish legs and feet.

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Key Features

Pale pinkish bill with a distinct black tip
Flesh-colored pink feet and legs
Uniform dark brown-black plumage without white underparts
Broad, rounded wings optimized for gliding

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours Daylight hours for foraging; 9 PM - 3 AM for activity at nesting colonies.

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Season September to May (breeding season in the Southern Hemisphere)

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Diet Primarily small fish, squid, and crustaceans caught by surface-seizing or pursuit-diving.

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Habitat Pelagic (open ocean) and offshore waters; nests in underground burrows on grassy or forested islands.

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Behavior

The Flesh-footed Shearwater is a true wanderer of the open ocean, spending the vast majority of its life far from land. These birds are highly social at sea, often forming large, noisy 'rafts' on the water's surface, particularly when food is abundant. They are exceptional divers, capable of plunging from the air or swimming down to depths of 30 meters to chase prey, using their wings to 'fly' underwater with surprising agility.

On land, their behavior shifts dramatically. Because they are clumsy on terra firma due to their rear-set legs, they only visit islands during the breeding season. They are strictly nocturnal at their nesting colonies to avoid predators like gulls and hawks. They are known for their haunting, rhythmic calls—a series of 'kuk-kuk-kuk' sounds—that can fill the air as they return to their underground burrows after sunset. While they generally avoid human contact, they are often seen trailing fishing vessels in hopes of an easy meal of discarded bycatch.

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Camera Tips

Capturing the Flesh-footed Shearwater on camera requires a specialized approach since they are rarely found in traditional backyards. If you live in a coastal area near a known flyway or breeding colony, your best bet is to position your camera on a high vantage point overlooking the ocean. Use a telephoto lens or a high-definition trail camera with a fast shutter speed to freeze their rapid gliding motion against the waves. Because they blend in with the dark water, set your exposure compensation slightly higher to ensure the chocolate-brown plumage doesn't just look like a black silhouette.

For those lucky enough to live on or visit an island where these birds nest, placing a camera near a burrow entrance is the ultimate way to see their personality. Since they return to land under the cover of darkness, your camera must have excellent infrared (no-glow) night vision. Avoid using cameras with white flashes, as bright lights can disorient the birds and make them vulnerable to predators. Set your camera low to the ground, about 6–12 inches high, angled slightly upward to capture the moment they land and waddle toward their burrow.

Trigger speed is critical. Shearwaters are surprisingly fast even when landing, so a camera with a trigger speed of 0.2 seconds or less is ideal. If you are using a video-capable camera, set it to record 15-20 second clips. This will allow you to capture their unique 'shuffling' gait and the social interactions that happen at the burrow entrance. During the peak of the breeding season (late spring/summer), you’ll see the most activity as parents cycle back and forth to feed their chicks.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Flesh-footed Shearwater.

Pink-footed Shearwater

The Pink-footed Shearwater has distinct white mottling on its underparts, whereas the Flesh-footed is entirely dark brown.

Sooty Shearwater

Look for the Sooty's dark bill and bright silvery wing linings, which contrast with the Flesh-footed's pale bill and dark wing linings.

Short-tailed Shearwater

Much smaller with a shorter, darker bill and a steeper forehead compared to the Flesh-footed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Flesh-footed Shearwaters are diurnal foragers, meaning they spend the daylight hours hunting for fish and squid at sea. However, they are nocturnal at their breeding colonies, arriving after sunset and departing before dawn to avoid predators.

Unlike garden birds, you cannot attract Flesh-footed Shearwaters with traditional feeders. They are pelagic birds that only come to land on specific islands to nest. Coastal residents may spot them from shore using binoculars or by taking boat trips to offshore waters where they gather.

Their diet consists mainly of squid and small school fish. They are excellent divers, often plunging into the water and swimming deep to catch their prey, though they also snatch food from the surface.

No, they are never found in suburban or inland areas. They are strictly marine birds, only appearing on remote islands or along coastal corridors during their annual migrations between the Southern and Northern Hemispheres.

The easiest way to distinguish them is by the bill and underwings. The Flesh-footed Shearwater has a pale pinkish bill with a dark tip and dark underwings, while the Sooty Shearwater has an all-dark bill and distinctive silvery-white flashes on the underside of its wings.

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