Tips for using Browse:

Browsing is a valuable way to learn about birds, however it is a brute force approach and not designed for identification. A more sophisticated approach to finding a bird with specific field marks is to use the Step by Step Search. You can also try the Wizard to find a bird, which uses a question and answer approach, but again it does not give you the flexibility of the Step by Step Search.

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Mottled Petrel
Mottled Petrel: Medium-sized petrel, mostly gray with mottled white markings. Face is gray and white and, throat, upper breast, and undertail are white. Wings have distinct black bars on white undersides. Feeds on small squid and fish. Alternates high soaring arcs and gliding with rapid wing beats.
Audubon's Shearwater
Audubon's Shearwater: Small, stocky seabird with dark brown upperparts and white underparts. Underwing coverts are white. Tail is dark brown with short, gray undertail coverts. Bill is dark and legs and feet are pink. Fish and squid make up most of its diet. Alternates rapid wing beats with glides.
Bermuda Petrel
Bermuda Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts shading to black on rump; white underparts except for dusky sides of upper breast. Base of tail has white band. White face, forehead. Black-brown cap goes to eyes. In flight shows black-gray upperwings, white underwings with black margins, tips.
Murphy's Petrel
Murphy's Petrel: Large petrel, overall gray or gray-brown body and pale throat. Underwings have pale bars. Legs and feet are pale, toes have black distal webbing. Bill is black. Feeds on squid and crustaceans. Swift flight, alternates several rapid wing beats with long glides. Does not follow ships.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Wedge-tailed Shearwater Dark Morph: Large shearwater, dark brown overall with black-tipped, dark gray bill. Tail is long and pointed in flight and extends past the pink legs and feet, fans to wedge-shaped when banking turns or landing. The dark morph form is most often seen off the Pacific Coast.
Great-winged Petrel
Great-winged Petrel: Large petrel with brown-black body except for pale gray forehead, face, chin, and throat. Bill is black and stout. The legs and feet are black. Feed on fish, squid and crustaceans. In New Zealand it is also known by its Maori name oi and as a muttonbird. AKA Grey-faced Petrel.
Manx Shearwater
Manx Shearwater: Small shearwater with brown-black upperparts and white underparts, underwings and undertail coverts. Black cap is darker than back. The bill is dark. Wings are long, slim, and straight. Tail is short and pointed. Feeds on fish and squid. Alternates long glides and rapid wing beats.
Stejneger's Petrel
Stejneger's Petrel: Small petrel with gray-brown upperparts, dark gray rump, white underparts. Black head, nape, bill. White face. Gray-brown upperwing, black greater coverts and outer primaries forming an M pattern across lower back. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Gray-brown tail mottled with white.
Ashy Storm-Petrel
Ashy Storm-Petrel: Small seabird, gray-black overall, dark bill, forked tail. Gray wash on underwing coverts are visible at close range. Legs and feet are dark gray. Unlike most storm-petrels, it doesn't travel far from colonies after breeding. Flight is fluttering and direct on shallow wing beats.
Black-browed Albatross
Black-browed Albatross: White head, neck, underparts, and black back, tail. Yellow bill with red tip, pale pink-gray legs and feet. Easily identified by black tail, stiff wing beats and long narrow pointed wings. Soars effortlessly for long periods of time, may circle and glide for long distances.
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel: Black-brown storm-petrel with gray-brown wing bars and conspicuous white band across the rump and, large, slightly notched tail. Black bill, legs and feet. Bouyant, zigzag flight alternating several rapid wing beats with glide on horizontal or slightly downward-bowed wings.
Yellow-nosed Albatross
Yellow-nosed Albatross: Pelagic albatross with pale gray head, neck, rump, black back, upperwings, white underparts and black margin around white underwings. Red-tipped black bill has yellow patch on upper mandible. Gray legs, feet. Glides and soars for hours with minor adjustments to wing position.
White-faced Storm-Petrel
White-faced Storm-Petrel: The only Atlantic storm-petrel with the combination of dark gray upperparts and white underparts with a dark cap and eyeline. Long black legs trail behind squared tail in flight. Webbing between toes is yellow. Alternates rapid, shallow wing beats with stiff-winged glides.
Little Shearwater
Little Shearwater: Tiny shearwater, dark brown upperparts and white underparts; dark cap extends only to eye. Bill is short and black. Swims and dives for food, picks food off surface of water. Feeds on fish and squid. Flight is low, fast and straight, alternates rapid wing beats and banking glides.
Fea's Petrel
Fea's Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts, white belly. White breast with partial gray-brown breast band. Wings bend back at the wrist, have a dark M pattern across upperwings and lower back. Underwings are mostly dark. White face, dark mask around eyes. Gray tail, pale uppertail coverts.
Black-capped Petrel
Black-capped Petrel: Large petrel with white underparts, dark brown to black back and upper wings, black cap, and white collar (this field mark is missing in some birds). Tail is long, dark, and wedge-shaped; underwings show broad dark margins. Hooked bill is dark, legs are pink. High arcing flight.
Cory's Shearwater
Cory's Shearwater: Large gray-brown shearwater, white underparts, pale yellow bill. Feeds at night on crustaceans and large sqiud it takes from the surface. Best identified by its relatively slow, languid flight compared to other shearwaters. Wings held downward. Soars on fixed wings if wind is up.
Herald Petrel
Herald Petrel: Medium petrel, three color morphs: light, intermediate, dark. Dark morph is dark gray overall, silver-gray to white base on underwing flight feathers. Light morph has white breast, belly and dark gray upperparts. Intermediate forms exist between light and dark morphs. Gray legs, feet.
Bulwer's Petrel
Bulwer's Petrel: Medium petrel, dark brown overall, pale diagonal bars across secondary coverts. Long tail is usually held in a point; wedge shape visible when fanned. Bill is black and hooked. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on squid, plankton and small fish. Picks food from surface while in flight.
Sooty Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater: Large shearwater with dark gray-brown body, darkest on tail and primaries. Underwing coverts are pale. Bill is long and dark. Legs and feet are black. Eats fish, squid and crustaceans. Long, narrow wings are slightly swept-back. Alternates strong direct flapping with long glides.
Pink-footed Shearwater
Pink-footed Shearwater: Large shearwater, gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, mottled brown flanks and undertail coverts. Head is gray-brown and pink bill is tipped with black. Flight feathers are dark-bordered and underwing coverts are mottled gray. Alternates slow wing beats with low glides.
Least Storm-Petrel
Least Storm-Petrel: Small, very rare storm-petrel with dark black-brown body and short, wedge-shape tail. The wings have black wing tips and pale brown diagonal bars visible in flight. It is the smallest Pacific storm-petrel. Flight is swift and direct on deep wing beats. Often flies low over water.
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel: Medium storm-petrel, blue-gray upperparts, pale gray underparts. Forehead is dark gray, eye patch is gray. Primaries are darker gray than other flight feathers. Forked tail, feathers are narrowly white-tipped. Alternates rapid, shallow wing beats and stiff-winged glides.
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Leach's Storm-Petrel: Medium storm-petrel with dark brown body and white rump and undertail feathers. Wings are dark with pale gray-brown bar on upperwings. Long tail is dark and forked. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Its flight is bounding and erratic, with frequent changes of direction and speed.
Black-vented Shearwater
Black-vented Shearwater: Medium shearwater, brown-black upperparts, white underparts, brown mottling on sides of breast and flanks. Dark cap extends below eye. Tail is dark. Eats fish, crustaceans, and squid. Quick low flight with short stiff wingbeats followed by glide. Soars in high winds.
Black-footed Albatross
Black-footed Albatross: Large seabird with long wings, gray-black body, and white ring around face at base of bill. Uppertail coverts are pale gray. Most have dark undertail coverts, some have white undertail and belly. The most frequently sighted albatross off the Pacific Coast of North America.
Greater Shearwater
Greater Shearwater: Large shearwater, scaled, gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, brown markings on belly. Dark cap contrasts with white face. Tail is dark above with conspicuous white rump band and gray below. Dark, hooked bill. Pink legs, feet. Flies on deep wing beats followed by long glide.
Northern Fulmar
Northern Fulmar Light Morph: Large gull-like bird with gray upperparts and white underparts, head, neck, and tail. Dark morph has uniformly dark gray body and paler primaries. Bill is short, thick, and yellow with a tube on top. Flight alternates stiff wing beats with periods of gliding and banking.
Streaked Shearwater
Streaked Shearwater: Large shearwater with scaled, dark gray-brown upperparts, white underparts. White head has variable light to heavy pale brown streaks. Uppertail coverts can be white, forming a pale "horseshoe." The forehead is white. Bill is pale. Legs and feet are pink. Eats small fish and squid. Flies with loose, angled wings. Light, graceful flapping and gliding.
Short-tailed Shearwater
Short-tailed Shearwater: Medium shearwater with dark brown body and occasional traces of white in the center of upperwings. Bill is short and dark. Feet are dark gray and trail slightly behind tail in flight. Tail is rounded. Alternates strong flaps with long glides, often soars for long periods.
Buller's Shearwater
Buller’s Shearwater: Medium shearwater, gray upperparts, white underparts. Head has white face, black cap, black bill. Tail is black. Legs and feet are pink. Dark gray M-pattern is visible across upperwings and back in flight. Alternates deep steady wing beats with long glides. Soars in high winds.
Flesh-footed Shearwater
Flesh-footed Shearwater: Large, bulky shearwater with dark brown body, darker head and tail. Bill is large and pink with a dark tip. Wings are dark with brown-edged coverts that become paler with wear. Legs and feet are pale pink. Slow flight, alternates stiff-winged flapping and gliding near water.
Dark-rumped Petrel
Dark-rumped Petrel: Medium petrel with dark slate-gray upperparts and white underparts. Sides of neck and underwing margins are dark. Bill is relatively short, black, and hooked. Legs and feet are pink-brown. Tail is white and wedge-shaped. Feeds on suqid, crustaceans, and fish. AKA Galapagos Petrel.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Wilson's Storm-Petrel: Small storm-petrel, mostly brown-black body, pale brown wing bands, large, conspicuous white rump. Wings are short and rounded. Feet extend past tail in flight. Smallest and most commonly seen storm-petrel off the Atlantic Coast. Direct flight with steady, shallow wing beats.
Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel
Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel: Small storm-petrel, black-brown overall with large white patch on rump and central tail. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Feeds far out to sea. Flight is swift and direct, with deep wing beats and much banking and twisting. Often flies high above the surface of the water.
Cook's Petrel
Cook's Petrel: Small petrel, slate-gray back and upperwings marked by a distinctive black M pattern. Underparts, underwings are white. Face is white with small, dark mask. Wings are long and slender. Tail is gray, black-tipped central feathers and white edges. Black bill, blue-gray legs and feet.
Black Storm-Petrel
Black Storm-Petrel: Small seabird, brown-black overall with long, dark wings showing pale bar on upper side, and forked tail. The hooked bill is dark and has a tube on top. Legs and feet are black. Flight is mothlike with deep, steady wing beats. Comes closer to shore than most other storm-petrels.