The occurrence of shearwaters (Puffinusspp.) off the west coast of Canada

Shearwaters, Puffinus spp., were studied off the west coast of Canada from 1975 to 1978. Sooty shearwaters, P. griseus, were the most abundant shearwaters off British Columbia in both May and September–October. Pink-footed shearwaters, P. creatopus, also occurred in both spring and fall. Flesh-footed shearwaters, P. carneipes, were found only in May. Buller's shearwaters, P. bulleri, were encountered in June and July during cruises across the Gulf of Alaska and in September and October off British Columbia. The recent increase of Buller's shearwater in the North Pacific is documented. A review of records of the short-tailed shearwater, P. tenuirostris, shows that it is usually rare and irregular off the coast of British Columbia. One black-vented shearwater, P. opisthomelas, was seen in the Gulf of Alaska. Sooty shearwaters occur off British Columbia in far lower numbers than off northern California, Oregon or Washington State. The manner in which sooty shearwaters migrate is described. The relationship between shearwater distributions and depths of water over the continental shelf are examined.