120 



During the late summer and early fall of some years, Buller's 

 Shearwaters are rather common in coastal waters from central California 

 north to British Columbia. Rarely they occur north or south of there. 

 Any specimens from the Aleutians, Bering Sea or Baja California should 

 certainly be saved for verification. On rare occasions this species 

 has occurred in west coast waters during the winter. 



STREAKED SHEARWATER (Puffinus leuaomelas; choice 18, pg. 30 ). Only 

 a few records are known for the area, all in central California. The 

 only difficulty in keying out a specimen, with or without a head, would 

 arise when plumage is worn. The color of the undertail coverts and of 

 the inner webs of primaries, and the wing length would then be critical 

 in separating this species from Common, Pink-footed, and Buller's 

 Shearwaters. 



SOOTY SHEARWATER (Puffinus griseus; choice 20', pg. 30 ) is dis- 

 tinguishable from other all dark shearwaters mainly on the basis of 

 size. It is smaller than the Flesh-footed and larger than the Short- 

 tailed Shearwater. The light coloration to feet and bill in the first 

 and the generally darker wing linings in the second are additional 

 clues for separating these, respectively, from Sooty Shearwaters. 



During most summers and early falls, the Sooty Shearwater ranks among 

 the most abundant birds occurring in coastal waters of western North 

 America, especially from southeast Alaska southward. They occur at other 

 times of the year in low numbers but when any dark shearwater is found 

 among the Aleutians or in the Bering Sea at any time or elsewhere during 

 winter and early spring, the Short-tailed Shearwater should be strongly 

 considered. 



SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER (Puffinus tenuirostris; choice 20, pg. 30) 

 is a smaller, slightly more delicately proportioned version of the preceding 

 species. It is abundant in the Bering Sea and in the vicinity of the 

 Aleutian Islands during summer and fall; its numbers drop off rapidly 

 to the south but it has occurred as far south as Baja California. South 

 of Washington they are rather uncommon, and specimens south of California 

 or even central California should be saved for verification. It is more 

 likely that dark shearwaters encountered along the west coast after 

 November are this species rather than the Sooty Shearwater. 



MANX (COMMON) SHEARWATER (Puffinus puffinus\ choice 17, pg. 29). This 

 species' small size should distinguish it from other white-bellied shear- 

 waters occurring off the North American west coast. It occurs quite 

 regularly in Baja and southern California coastal waters during fall 

 and winter and should be expected at other times of the year as well. 

 During fall and winter it has occurred regularly but in small numbers 

 north to central California. One should expect the occasional specimen 

 as far north as southeast Alaska, but north of central California 

 specimens should be saved for verification. 



