Stellwagen Bank

A seabird soars oabove the ocean

Photo: Peter Flood

Great Shearwater

Seabirds like the great shearwater travel to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to feed on fish. Because they spend most of their time above water, seabirds are easier to track than other marine animals. Researchers use satellite technology to track great shearwaters and learn more about them and the health of the sanctuary ecosystem.

A world map highlighting sections of the atlantic ocean

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ardenna gravis

DIET: Fish and squid

WINGSPAN: Average 3 feet

OLDEST KNOWN OSPREY: 25 years

CLUTCH SIZE: 1 egg

THREATS: Bycatch, ingesting plastic, pollution, and climate change

STATUS: Protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

FUN FACT: Each fall, great shearwaters migrate more than 10,000 miles from the North Atlantic to the South Atlantic.