Balearic Shearwater

The Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) is a medium-sized shearwater.It was long regarded a subspecies of the Manx Shearwater;  following an initial split it was held to be a subspecies of the "Mediterranean Shearwater for nearly ten more years, until it was resolved to be a distinct species, separate from the Yelkouan Shearwater as a separate entity.

This species breeds on islands and coastal cliffs in the Balearic islands. Most winter in that sea, but some enter the Atlantic in late summer, reaching north to Great Britainand Ireland.

It is under severe threat from the development of holiday resorts near its breeding sites, and also from animals such as cats and rats The Balearic Shearwater is considered critically endangered .