LC
Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
Puffinus assimilis (not including baroli) and P. elegans (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as P. assimilis, under which baroli was also subsumed, following Brooke (2004).

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2014 Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 32,100,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 100000-499999 mature individuals medium estimated 2004
Population trend decreasing - suspected -
Generation length 18 years - - -

Population justification: Based on data reviewed by Brooke (2004), the global population is thought to number over 100,000 pairs, assumed to equate to over 200,000 mature individuals. Thus, the population is placed in the band 100,000-499,999 mature individuals. The total population is therefore assumed to number c.300,000-750,000 individuals.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be in decline owing to predation by invasive species.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Australia extant native yes yes
Cook Islands extant uncertain
Fiji extant uncertain
French Southern Territories extant native yes yes
New Caledonia (to France) extant uncertain
New Zealand extant native yes yes
Norfolk Island (to Australia) extant native yes yes
Pitcairn Islands (to UK) extant uncertain
Tonga extant uncertain

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
New Zealand Kermadec (offshore)
New Zealand Mercury Islands
New Zealand Ruamaahua Aldermen Islands
New Zealand Curtis & Cheeseman Islands
St Helena (to UK) Inaccessible Island
Portugal Ilhas Desertas
Portugal Selvagens
Portugal Ponta de São Lourenço
Portugal Ilhéus do Porto Santo
Portugal Costa das Flores
Portugal Costa do Corvo
Portugal Ilhéu de Baixo e Costa Adjacente
Portugal Ilhéu da Praia
Portugal Ilhéu da Baleia e Ponta da Barca
Portugal Faial da Terra e Ponta do Arnel
Portugal Ponta dos Rosais - Urzelina
Portugal Ilhéu do Topo e Costa Adjacente
Portugal Ilhéu da Vila
Portugal Ilhéu das Lagoínhas e Costa Adjacente
Portugal Ponta da Malbusca e Ponta do Castelete
Portugal Costa Sudeste do Pico
Portugal Mistério da Prainha
Portugal Mosteiros – Bretanha
Australia Houtman Abrolhos
Australia Lord Howe Island Permanent Park Preserve (Lord Howe Island IBA)
Spain Lanzarote islets
Spain El Mojón
Spain Island of Lobos
Spain Coast of Esquinzo-Puertito de Los Molinos
Spain Anaga rocky islets
Spain Los Gigantes coastal cliff
Spain South-west coast of La Gomera
Spain Salmor rocky islets
Spain Estrecho de la Bocaina
Portugal Santa Maria
Portugal Graciosa
Portugal São Jorge - Nordeste
Portugal São Jorge - Oeste
Portugal Corvo e Flores
Portugal Desertas
Portugal Selvagens - Oceânica
St Helena (to UK) Gough Island
Spain Acantilados de Santo Domingo y Roque de Garachico
Spain Aguas y acantilados del Norte de La Palma
Spain Aguas de La Gomera - Teno

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Grassland Subantarctic major breeding
Grassland Temperate suitable breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding
Marine Intertidal Rocky Shoreline major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic major breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major breeding
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) major non-breeding
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) major breeding
Marine Oceanic Mesopelagic (200-1000m) major non-breeding
Marine Oceanic Mesopelagic (200-1000m) major breeding
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Named species Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success

Utilisation
Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Food - human - - - non-trivial recent
Food - human - - non-trivial recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Puffinus assimilis. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/little-shearwater-puffinus-assimilis on 01/12/2023.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org on 01/12/2023.