Luis Quinta / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight, Fonte da Telha Beach, Portugal, October.

Luis Quinta / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) on ocean, near the Fonte da Telha Beach, Portugal, October.

Mark MacEwen / Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) at night, Heron Island, southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Taken with infra-red camera.

Brent Stephenson / Buller's shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in flight low over the water, showing upperwing. Off Whitianga, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand.

Robin Chittenden / Sooty shearwater (Ardenna / Puffinus grisea) on sea surface, Algarve, Portugal, October

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Flock of Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus) in flight over sea, near Ardnamurchan Point, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, July 2011

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) adult in flight over sea, near Ardnamurchan Point, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, July 2011

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) adult in flight over Irish sea off Pembrokeshire coast, Wales, UK, August 2010. Did you know? Hitchcock's film 'The Birds' was partly inspired by an incident in Mon...

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) taking off, running over water. Oman, October.

David Tipling / Heinroth's shearwater (Puffinus heinrothi) flying over sea. Savo Island, Solomon Islands.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / RSPB biologist John Tayton creating artificial Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) nest sites, Garbh Eilean, Shiant Isles, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK. June 2018.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Prey remains of Manx shearwater (puffinus puffinus) after being eaten by Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) on Askival mountain, Isle of Rum, Hebrides, Scotland, UK, September 2015.

Robin Chittenden / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) Algarve, Portugal.

Chris Gomersall / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight following adult female Orca (Orcinus orca). Close to isle of Skye, Scotland. July 2013.

Chris Gomersall / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight at sea. Hebrides, Scotland. June.

Andy Trowbridge / Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) at rest on water. Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand. April.

Andy Trowbridge / Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) resting on the water. Kaikoura, South Islnad, New Zealand. April.

Mike Potts / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight off Lleyn Peninsula. North Wales, UK. June.

Mike Potts / Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) resting on the sea. Off Lleyn Peninsula, North Wales, UK. June.

Mike Potts / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight off Lleyn Peninsula. North Wales, UK. June.

Mike Read / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) resting on the sea near Grand Manan Island, Bay of Fundy, Canada, August.

Mike Read / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight over the sea near Grand Manan Island, Bay of Fundy, Canada, August.

Mike Read / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight over the sea, Grand Manan Island, Bay of Fundy, Canada, August.

Oriol Alamany / Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) at night in coastal forest, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Australia, October

Oriol Alamany / Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) at night in coastal forest, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia

Oriol Alamany / Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) at night in coastal forest, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia

Oriol Alamany / Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) at night in coastal forest, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia

Oriol Alamany / Flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) at night, in coastal forest, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia

Oriol Alamany / Wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinis pacificus) at nest, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia, October.

Oriol Alamany / Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinis pacificus) at nest, n the breeding colony, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia, October.

Oriol Alamany / Wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinis pacificus) at dusk, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia, October.

Oriol Alamany / Wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinis pacificus) at dusk, Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia

Oriol Alamany / Mutton birds / Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) and Lord Howe Rail (Gallirallus sylvestris) warning sign on the road at Lord Howe island, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Herita...

Oriol Alamany / Mutton bird/r Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) warning sign on the road, Lord Howe Island Group UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, New South Wales, Australia. October.

Tui De Roy / Galapagos shearwater (Puffinus subalaris) skimming the water, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Galapagos shearwater (Puffinus subalaris) running over water, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Galapagos shearwater (Puffinus subalaris) resting on water, Galapagos

Mike Potts / Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight, off Leyn Peninsula. Gwynedd, North Wales, UK, July.

Mike Potts / Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight, off Leyn Peninsula. Gwynedd, North Wales, UK, July.

Mike Potts / Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight, off Leyn Peninsula. Gwynedd, North Wales, UK, July.

Mike Potts / Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) preening on sea, off Leyn Peninsula, Gwynedd, North Wales, UK, July.

Claudio Contreras / Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) in burrow, San Benedicto Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve / Archipielago de Revillagigedo UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (Socorro Is...

Claudio Contreras / Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus), San Benedicto Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve / Archipielago de Revillagigedo UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (Socorro Islands), Pa...

Julian Hume / Ilustration of extinct birds : Robust crows (Corvus viriosus) with Molokai rails (Porzana menehune) and a pair of Nihoa finches (Telespiza ultima) feed on the carcass of adult and chick Wedge-tailed s...

Julian Hume / Illustration of extinct Robust crows (Corvus viriosus) with Molokai rails (Porzana menehune) and a pair of Nihoa finches (Telespiza ultima) feeding on the carcass of adult and chick Wedge-tailed shear...

David Tipling / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) Southern Ocean off Falklands, January

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Flesh footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) in flight, Oman, May

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Flesh footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) on the water, Oman, May

Robin Chittenden / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight over water, Morocco.

Robin Chittenden / Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) in flight over water, Morocco.

Robin Chittenden / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) flying over water, Morocco.

David Tipling / Flesh-footed shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) and New Zealand storm petrel (Fregetta maorianus) feeding in Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand.

Eric Medard / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK, July.

Eric Medard / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK.

Eric Medard / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK.

Eric Medard / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK.

Eric Medard / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK.

Eric Medard / Men ringing Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK.

Eric Medard / Men ringing Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taken with infrared light at night, Wales, UK.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) sitting on the sea, Oman, September

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) running over water to take flight, Oman, November

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) on the water, Oman, November

Hiroya Minakuchi / Short-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) massive flock taking flight, Hokkaido, Japan

Nick Upton / Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), a critically endangered species, in flight low over sea off Lagos, Algarve, Portugal, July 2013.

Robin Chittenden / Great Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight over sea, Algarve, Portugal, October

Luis Quinta / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight, Fonte da Telha Beach, Portugal, October.

Luis Quinta / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight, Fonte da Telha Beach, Portugal, October.

Luis Quinta / Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) in flight, Fonte da Telha Beach, Portugal, September.

Brent Stephenson / Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) flying low over sea, off Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, November.

Brent Stephenson / Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) flying over sea, off Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, November.

Brent Stephenson / Flesh footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) flying, showing the underwing as well as the flesh-coloured feet of this species, off Whitianga, Coromandel, New Zealand, October.

Brent Stephenson / Flesh footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) flying, off Whitianga, Coromandel, New Zealand, October.

Melvin Grey / Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) adult, Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, West Wales, UK, July.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) pair mating in water, Commander Island, Russia, September.

Alan Murphy / Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus), California

Alan Murphy / Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) taking flight, California

Alan Murphy / Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) flying, California

Alan Murphy / Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) flying, California

Alan Murphy / Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas), California

Alan Murphy / Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas) flying, California

Avi Meir / Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) taking flight, Eilat, Israel

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) flying low over water, Oman, May.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) on water, Oman, May.

Rob Drummond / Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) flying, South Australia, Australia

David Tipling / Remains of Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) preyed upon by Great Black-backed Gull, Skokholm, Wales, UK.

Roland Seitre / Pink-footed shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) at burrow, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile.

Brent Stephenson / A flock of Hutton's shearwaters (Puffinus huttoni) taking off from the sea surface. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, November. Endangered species.

Brent Stephenson / Fresh plumaged Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) in flight low over the water showing the upperwing. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, November.

Brent Stephenson / Great shearwater (Puffinus gravis) in flight at sea, showing the pale collar and upperwing pattern. Off Stewart Island, New Zealand, April.

Brent Stephenson / Flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) coming in to land on the water, showing the diagnostic pale feet of this species. Off the Three Kings, Far North, New Zealand, March.

Brent Stephenson / Wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) in flight at sea, showing both the under and upperwing. Off the Three Kings, Far North, New Zealand, March.

Brent Stephenson / Flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) coming in to land on the water, showing the diagnostic pale feet of this species. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, February.

Brent Stephenson / Fresh plumaged Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) resting on the water. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, October.

Brent Stephenson / Fluttering shearwater (Puffinus gavia) sitting on the surface of the sea, undergoing post-breeding moult. Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand, February.

Brent Stephenson / Buller's shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in fresh plumage, in flight over the sea. Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand, October. Vulnerable species.

Brent Stephenson / Buller's shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in flight low over the sea, showing the upperwing pattern. Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand, October. Vulnerable species.