ID photo guide: Manx, Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters

Bob Flood has all the information you need to recognise each of these three closely related species should you encounter one from a headland or pelagic.

Fast-flying and often at a distance, identifying shearwaters can present a challenge – but the rewards may be great. Manx, Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters are similar-looking brown and white seabirds; the first is the default in British and Irish waters, but Balearic is a regular visitor to our waters and Yelkouan, while a mega find, is a possibility. Bob Flood has all the advice and information you need to recognise these three closely related species should you encounter one from a headland or on a pelagic.

1 Flock of Manx Shearwaters with a dark Balearic Shearwater (Land’s End, Cornwall, 1 September 2013). As here, a dark Balearic (bottom right) stands out like a sore thumb in a flock of Manx Shearwaters; however, a pale Balearic can easily blend in. BOB FLOOD is coowner of Scilly Pelagics and a Research Associate at Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.