The Balearic Shearwater has a wingspan of approximately 90 cm with brown colouring on the upper part of its body and an underside that goes from pale brownish to white. They breed in the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, but in the late summer head further north, including into the waters around the Channel Islands. In recent years, their distribution has spread further north, possibly due to sea surface temperatures increasing. On the IUCN Red List, they are listed as Critically Endangered and are one of Europe’s most endangered seabirds.

Balearic Shearwaters are not the only species of shearwater you can see around Alderney’s coast, with Manx Shearwaters also being recorded. This species is closely related to the Balearics, but with a sharper contrast between the darker colouring above and lighter colouring below, and which breed in the UK and winters in the South Atlantic. Shearwaters as a taxonomic group have gained this name through their ability to smoothly fly close to the water, while ‘shearing’ the surface with their wings.

Last spring, the Trust attended a workshop in Jersey specifically regarding the Balearic Shearwater, along with several other environmental organisations from the Channel Islands and France. The aim of this event was to bring together knowledge and plan future monitoring endeavours to improve our understanding of the abundance, timing, and distribution of Balearic Shearwaters in Channel Islands waters. This is an important first step in discovering the importance of the islands to the species and beginning discussions on how to help the species in the future.