Most parts of Australasia have their own kind of migratory shearwater or 'muttonbird'. New Zealand has its Titi, or Sooty Shearwater, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters breed along the eastern and western Australian coastlines, and Short-tailed Shearwaters breed mainly on islands off the south-eastern coast of the continent.
Short-tailed Shearwaters are the most numerous of Australia's seabirds. During their breeding season they are found in their millions on many small islands from New South Wales to Western Australia, but their stronghold is in Bass Strait.
After their eggs have hatched and the chicks are sufficiently large enough to fend for themselves, these feisty birds leave their breeding islands and migrate north-east, flying on a broad front through the central reaches of the Pacific Ocean, where they are said to have been seen in immense numbers by Captain Cook on his voyage of discovery. They spend the southern winter (summer in the Northern Hemisphere) at sea in the northern Pacific, off the coasts of Japan, Siberia and Alaska.
A century ago, parties of people journeyed to the large breeding colony at Cape Woolamai on Phillip Island, specifically to steal muttonbird eggs from their burrows, using long hooked sticks to drag them to within easy reach. Shearwater chicks are still legally taken by Indigenous Tasmanians on islands in Bass Strait, but are protected elsewhere.
The ecology and movements of Short-tailed Shearwaters have been studied extensively, and some of the earliest banding projects focused on the species. If you want to discover more information about this species or any other birds that occur in Australia, just take a little time to explore the Birdata website, or visit the Birds Australia website at www.birdsaustralia.com.au . You never know what you might find.
