Manx shearwater

The Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word (Middle English pophyn) for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters. The Atlantic puffin acquired the name much later, possibly because of its similar nesting habits.

Manx shearwater
On Skomer
Recording from Skomer Island, Wales
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Procellariiformes
Family: Procellariidae
Genus: Puffinus
Species:
P. puffinus
Binomial name
Puffinus puffinus
(BrĂ¼nnich, 1764)
  Breeding colonies
  Non-breeding visitor
(ranges are approximate)
Synonyms

Procellaria puffinus BrĂ¼nnich, 1764

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