Black-vented Shearwater

Puffinus opisthomelas Coues, 1864

Black-vented Shearwater, Puffinus opisthomelas, is a seabird of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California, breeding on islands off north and western Baja California and on Isla Rasa in north-west Mexico. It was described by Coues in 1864 and belongs to the family Procellariidae in the order Procellariiformes. Its breeding sites include San Martin, Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, Natividad and Rasa. Outside the breeding season it occurs in inshore waters as far north as central California, and through the Gulf of California and the inshore waters of central Mexico.

Order

Procellariiformes

Family

Procellariidae — Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels

Breeding range

Pacific Ocean: I. San Martin (w of nw Baja), Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, and Is. Natividad (w of c Baja California), and I. Rasa (n Gulf of California; nw Mexico)

Nonbreeding range

to c California inshore waters, Gulf of California and to inshore waters of c Mexico