The Sargasso shearwater is a small tropical seabird in the petrel family. The only shearwater to nest primarily in the Caribbean, it ranges throughout the western Atlantic during the non-breeding season. Its specific epithet honours the French naturalist Félix Louis L'Herminier.
Region
Caribbean and western Atlantic
Typical Environment
Breeds on small islands across the Caribbean, including the Lesser and Greater Antilles and nearby islets. At sea it ranges through the Caribbean Sea, Sargasso Sea, and along the Gulf Stream into the western Atlantic. It favors warm pelagic waters, shelf breaks, eddies, and convergence zones where prey concentrates. Nesting occurs on predator-free or low-predator islands with suitable soil or rock crevices, often under forest or shrub cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as Audubon's shearwater, this small tropical seabird nests mainly on Caribbean islands and disperses widely across the western Atlantic outside the breeding season. It nests in burrows or rock crevices and is strictly nocturnal at colonies to avoid predators. It often forages along Sargassum lines and ocean fronts, taking small fish and squid. Colonies are vulnerable to invasive mammals and light pollution.
Illustration by Chester A. Reed
P. lherminieri chick in nest burrow on Little Tobago.
Puffinus persicus
Tropical shearwater Puffinus bailloni of Reunion Island.
Temperament
pelagic and wary near colonies
Flight Pattern
rapid, low shearing flight with stiff wings and short glides
Social Behavior
Breeds colonially, with pairs nesting in burrows or natural crevices and visiting colonies only at night. Forms long-term pair bonds and shares incubation and chick-rearing duties. At sea it often associates loosely with other seabirds and feeding flocks, especially where predators drive prey to the surface.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
At colonies it gives soft, rolling trills and squeaky whistles delivered mostly at night. Calls are subdued and carry short distances, helping birds locate mates and burrows without attracting predators.
