Appearance:

A large shearwater with pale upperparts and heavy, yellowish bill. Large grey head. The grey neck forms a diagnostic, contrasting line from wing base to base of bill (most other shearwaters have white neck-sides). Armpits usually pure white. Underside of wings white, framed by black flight feathers. Flight action calm and distinct. Long glides alternates with 3-4 slow wingbeats. Wingtips always bent downwards, and wings slightly angled back. Often soars. Differs from Fulmar in dark tail, grey head, long, narrow wings and longer bill. The two subspecies C. diomedea and C. borealis, are somtimes treated as different species. Field identification of these usually impossible, and requires ideal conditions. Hand of borealis is darker due to no white fringes to primaries. In diomedea the white in the coverts extends in a white wedge into the hand, through the base of the primaries.

Sound:

Very vocal at breeding ground. Calls with a very nasal, comical, mewing "ke-kooeee", ending with falling pitch, like a releasing sigh or moan. Sometimes reltively pure, other times very hoarse and raucous.

At breeding ground (C. d. borealis):

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:James Bradley, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Hans Verdaat, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

A long-tailed and relatively long-winged Locustella, with olive-brown plumage and pale belly. Conspicuously broad, rounded tail, and substantial vent. Under tail coverts brown with with prominent pale fringes, and almost reaches tail tip. Faintly streaked throat and breast. Rump and tail warmer brown than back. Faint and short supercilium and pale eye-ring. First long primary with pale outer web, and a slight curve. Song-posts often more exposed than Grasshopper Warbler.

Sound:

Song an insectlike, buzzing like Grasshopper and Savi's Warbler, but easily distinguished from those by it's distinct steam locomotive-like rhythm. About 8 accents per second. Perhaps easier to confuse with certain species of ground crickets or cicadas than it's congeners. Contact call a sharp "tsikk-tsikk", similar to Savi's Warbler.

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC