Birds nocturnal

Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Ardenna pacifica

Often called the 'moaning bird' for its ghostly nocturnal wails, this incredible voyager travels thousands of miles across the ocean before returning to the exact same coastal burrow every year.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 38–46 cm (15–18 in); Wingspan: 97–105 cm (38–41 in); Weight: 300–550 g (11–19 oz)

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Colors

Exists in two color morphs. Dark morph: uniform chocolate-brown. Pale morph: grey-brown upperparts with white underparts. Both have flesh-pink legs and a greyish bill.

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Key Features

Distinctive long, wedge-shaped tail visible in flight
Slender hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils (tubenose)
Long, narrow wings with a rhythmic 'shearing' flight style
Pinkish-flesh colored legs and feet positioned far back on the body

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern nocturnal

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Peak hours 8 PM - 4 AM (when at land colonies)

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Season March-November (Northern Hemisphere) or August-May (Southern Hemisphere)

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Diet Small fish, squid, and crustaceans caught by surface-seizing or shallow 'plunge-diving' just beneath the water's surface.

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Habitat Pelagic (open ocean), but nests in burrows on sandy islands, coastal dunes, and grassy cliff-tops.

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Behavior

The Wedge-tailed Shearwater is a master of the open ocean, spending the vast majority of its life at sea. They are highly social during the breeding season, congregating in massive colonies on offshore islands and coastal cliffs. They are famous for their vocalizations at night; their mournful, rhythmic wailing has earned them the nickname 'moaning bird' in many Pacific cultures, as the sound often resembles the crying of a human infant or a ghost.

On land, these birds are awkwardly adapted, using their wings and beaks to help pull themselves along because their legs are positioned specifically for swimming rather than walking. They are monogamous and return to the same burrow year after night after year. Despite their clumsy land movements, they are incredibly dedicated parents, with both the male and female sharing incubation and chick-rearing duties for several months before the chick fledges and heads to sea alone.

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Camera Tips

Capturing the Wedge-tailed Shearwater on a trail camera requires targeting their nesting sites, as these are the only times they come ashore. If you live on a coastal property near a colony, look for burrow entrances—holes roughly 4-6 inches wide in sandy soil or under coastal scrub like Naupaka. Place your camera on a low mount or even directly on the ground, angled slightly upward to face the burrow entrance from a distance of 3-5 feet. Because these birds are strictly nocturnal on land to avoid predators, you must use a camera with high-quality infrared (IR) night vision. Never use a white-light flash, as shearwaters are highly susceptible to light disorientation, which can cause them to crash into structures or abandon their burrows.

Setting your camera to video mode is often more rewarding than still photos. The 'moaning' calls are a significant part of their behavior, and a 15-20 second video clip will capture the eerie audio along with their social interactions. If your camera has a 'Hybrid' mode (taking a photo then a video), use it to get high-resolution identification shots alongside behavior footage. During the peak of the breeding season, you may capture pairs 'allopreening' (cleaning each other's feathers) outside the burrow entrance, which is a fantastic behavior to document.

Timing is critical for success. The best window for camera activity is during the fledging season—typically late October through November in Hawaii. This is when the large, downy chicks emerge from their burrows to stretch their wings and prepare for their first flight. Be mindful of the environment; coastal salt spray is extremely corrosive to electronics. Even 'weatherproof' cameras should be wiped down with a damp fresh-water cloth every few days, and using a protective security box can help shield the lens from salt crusting which can blur your night shots.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Wedge-tailed Shearwater.

Sooty Shearwater

Darker overall with silvery patches under the wings and a much shorter, rounded tail compared to the Wedge-tailed.

Short-tailed Shearwater

Smaller with a shorter bill and darker underwings; lacks the distinct long, wedge-shaped tail profile.

Buller's Shearwater

Features a striking 'M' pattern across its wings in flight and has much cleaner, brighter white underparts.

Frequently Asked Questions

When they are on land for breeding, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are strictly nocturnal. They typically arrive at their colonies shortly after sunset and depart before the first light of dawn to avoid being preyed upon by hawks or owls.

You cannot 'attract' them with food like garden birds. Instead, you can support them if you live near a colony by planting native coastal vegetation, keeping cats and dogs indoors at night, and turning off outdoor lights during the fledging season to prevent them from becoming disoriented.

They eat a diet of seafood, primarily small fish like goatfish, squid, and various crustaceans. They often forage in 'tuna balls,' where large predatory fish drive smaller prey to the surface, making them easy for the shearwaters to grab.

They are only found in suburban areas that are directly adjacent to the coast or on islands where they have established breeding colonies. In places like Oahu, Hawaii, or parts of coastal Australia, they may nest in the sand dunes of residential beachfronts.

The easiest way is the tail; the Wedge-tailed has a much longer, noticeably pointed tail. Additionally, the Wedge-tailed Shearwater has pinkish legs, whereas the Sooty Shearwater has dark, grey-black legs.

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