Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii)
Currently, the Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii) is being separated, to a specie status apart from the Cory’s Shearwater, as it was previously. For many years the two species have been viewed as one, but after significant research, many differences between the Cape Verde Shearwater and Cory’s Shearwater, have been recorded. As these two groups are often found together, it is clear that the Cape Verde Shearwater is significantly smaller than his counterpart, with a lighter build and with darker plumage and much darker coloring of the head. Their bills also differ, in that the Cape Verde has a lighter bill and is gray horn colored, on closer inspection. Both birds are brown of color with white bellies, and white underneath their wings.
The Cape Verde Shearwater is a sea bird, and can be found on the Cape Verde Islands, which is located in the North Atlantic, and just of the African mainland coast, in the waters near Senegal. Nesting and breeding is particularly difficult for the Cape Verde Shearwater, as many inhabitants of the island, collect the nestlings, which are dried and salted, and sold as food. This factor including the destruction of habitat and the fact that foreign animals and vegetation have been introduced, has caused the populations to suffer. It was estimated that the breeding pairs were in the region of 10 000, but it seems a little optimistic, in view of the trauma that these birds suffer, during nesting periods.
These sea birds feed on fish, any left- over fish parts from the fishing boats and mollusks. They can be seen staying near to the fishing trawlers, in hope of any scraps that might serve them as a meal. Cape Verde Shearwaters are able to fly extremely low to the water, and are often barely inches above the surface of the water. They glide over waters’ surface to look for fish, with then disappearing behind the swells at times.
The Cape Verde Shearwater is definitely distinctive, and deserves to be separated from the Cory’s Shearwater. It is just hoped that bird conservation efforts will be successful, and prevent the numbers of the population to fall any lower than they already are. This beautiful and graceful bird should be protected for future generations to see.
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