Gould, P . J . 
1963“ 
(Wedge-tailed Shearwater) 
4 
heading same direction. ) 
We have seen other birds which have a dorsal appearance of Wedge-tails with the 
dark primaries but beneath they are much whiter with much more extensive white under 
the wings and much more white around the head. One seemed to have a light colored 
bill and I called it a Pink-footed Shearwater 
It should be checked to see if any species of Wedge-tail gets this pattern below 
(an exceptionally light light-phase) 
1553- Sighted flock of birds which included 10+ Wedge-tails, 5+ Bonin Petrels, 
125 + 5 Terns and 1 Frigate-bird. No fish school was noticeable and none of the birds 
were seen to go to the water. The wedge-tails would be gliding rapidly along 
one direction then make a "U" turn and make another pass over the area they had just 
gone over. These passes would be over fairly large stretches of water. Every once in 
a while the whole group (which was flying mostly as a unit with only a few 
straglers) would begin milling about in a tight series of circles. They would be 
closer to the water during this manouver and use their wings more often. Apparently 
at these points they had sighted the fish school near the surface, but still too 
deep to attack. 
September 7--Pacific Ocean, 2 days out Oahu, Hawaiian I. 
1520. Flock consisting of 40+ Wedge-tails, 3+ Pink-footed Shearwaters, 1 
Bonin Island Petrel and 25 Sooty Terns. These birds were feeding on flying fish. 
1530. Large flock consisting of 1 Bulwer’s Petrel, 50 + 10 Wedge-tails, 
200 + 25 Sooty Terns, 3 White Terns, 2 Tropicbirds, 1 Dark-rumped Petrel. 
All of these birds were darting back and forth (except Tropicbirds) over 
a huge school of flying fish. These flying fish kept breaking surface in all 
directions. We observed this flock for over l/2 hour. 
All the birds were chasing and catching flying fish, of 3 Wedge-tails 
