Running start...
A Great Shearwater takes to the air from the water at St Vincent's beach, NL.
This species breeds on the islands of Tristan de Cunha in the southern Atlantic Ocean. They are migratory, and spend May to early November as a nonbreeding visitor to the north Atlantic and may occur along the Atlantic Coast of North America from Florida to Canada. They may also wander into the Gulf of Mexico. They are pelagic, seldom seen from land, and only come ashore to breed.
The Great Shearwater or Hagdon defends itself by ejecting foul-smelling oil from its nostrils. These birds need a running start to become airborne and run along the water surface before taking flight.
Source: A Field Guide to the birds of North America
Running start...
A Great Shearwater takes to the air from the water at St Vincent's beach, NL.
This species breeds on the islands of Tristan de Cunha in the southern Atlantic Ocean. They are migratory, and spend May to early November as a nonbreeding visitor to the north Atlantic and may occur along the Atlantic Coast of North America from Florida to Canada. They may also wander into the Gulf of Mexico. They are pelagic, seldom seen from land, and only come ashore to breed.
The Great Shearwater or Hagdon defends itself by ejecting foul-smelling oil from its nostrils. These birds need a running start to become airborne and run along the water surface before taking flight.
Source: A Field Guide to the birds of North America