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:

Large and bulky Sylvia-warbler, with grey upperparts, and white to cream underparts. Adult males easily distinguished at close range, by barred underparts and yellow iris. Eye darker in females and young males. Pale, or white fringes to coverts and tertials evident in most plumages, but may be faint in young birds. Tail-corners white, and under tail-coverts always spotted. Most plumage characters difficult to see at a distance, and the general bulky and long-tailed impression of the bird, together with the white tail-corners seen in flight, are more useful for ID. Sometimes resembles more a shrike than a warbler, especially in flight.

Sound:

Varied repertoire, but mostly silent when not breeding. Contact call a rolling, dry "trrrrrrrrr-r-r-t, often with ritardando ending, of 1-2 seconds length. Also a Blackcap-like "check". Song varies among individuals and location, but is generally quite similar to Garden Warbler. Often contains mimicry of Red-backed Shrike, and other species. Phrases usually quite short, with rapid alternations between sequences of squeaky, high-pitched sounds and warbling, fluty (often disyllabic) notes. This creates a slightly bouncing rhythm, different from Garden Warbler. Sometimes includes contact call in song, which makes ID easier.

Contact call/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