Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
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- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderProcellariiformes (Tubenoses)
- FamilyProcellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels)
- GenusPuffinus (Small Shearwaters)
- SpeciesPuffinus puffinus (Manx Shearwater)
About the Manx Shearwater
The Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word (Middle English pophyn) for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters. The Atlantic puffin acquired the name much later, possibly because of its similar nesting habits.
The shearwaters form part of the family Procellariidae, a widespread group containing nearly 100 species of medium to large seabirds. They have long, narrow wings and the characteristic "tube nose". Although it was considered a monotypic species, recently an endemic subspecies for the Canary Islands has been proposed P. puffinus canariensis. The large genus Puffinus includes several species formerly considered to be subspecies of the Manx shearwater, including the yelkouan shearwater, Balearic shearwater, Hutton's shearwater, black-vented shearwater, fluttering shearwater, Townsend's shearwater and the Hawaiian shearwater. Of these, the Hawaiian and possibly Townsend's shearwaters seem to be most closely related to the Manx shearwater.
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Recent sightings of Manx Shearwater in Kenai Fjords National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 8 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Thingvellir National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 11 | Darién National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 12 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 13 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 14 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Manx Shearwater in Kenai Fjords National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Manx Shearwater sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Manx Shearwater in Kenai Fjords National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Manx Shearwater in Kenai Fjords National Park in our monthly data.