This shearwater is identifiable by its dark plumage, which is responsible for its name. It breeds at a small number of sites in the Islands, (including one of Falklands Conservation’s islands ), but further breeding colonies may certainly remain undiscovered.

Kidney Island is by far the largest known breeding colony with an estimated over 100,000 pairs. It feeds on fish and squid. Falklands breeders migrate to the North Atlantic in the austral winter.

It uses tussac habitat for its nesting burrows, rafting offshore in large numbers before returning to them at dusk. They lay one white egg in December, with chicks fledging in April.

This large shearwater is recognisable by its brown cap, dark upper part and white underparts with a brown belly patch.

The Falklands is the only breeding site known outside of Tristan de Cuhna – only a few breeding pairs have been recorded at three sites including Kidney Island.

The great shearwater feeds on fish and squid, which it catches from the surface or by plunge-diving.

Like the sooty shearwater it is a burrow nesting species choosing sites with tussac grass. It also undertakes huge migrations to the Arctic in the non-breeding period.