Townsend's shearwater Townsend's shearwater The Townsend's shearwater, "Puffinus auricularis", is a rare seabird of the tropics from the family Procellariidae. Its relationships are unresolved. Its closest relatives are probably, but not certainly, the Hawaiian shearwater ("Puffinus newelli") and possibly the Manx shearwater ("Puffinus puffinus") (Austin, 1996; Austin "et al.", 2004). It formerly contained the former as a subspecies and was long considered a subspecies of the latter. The relationship of the Rapa shearwater, "P. myrtae" in regard to these species are also in need of research; this taxon was until recently placed in "P. assimilis" (Austin "et al.", 2004), but now raised
Ponta dos Rosais and agricultural areas, with most of the region taken-up by rural activities. Tourists visiting the area are attracted by the diversity of migratory and maritime bird species that nest in the cliffs of the point, including the migratory Corey's Shearwater ("Calonectris diomedea") and Little shearwater ("Puffinus assimilis"), but also the Roseate ("Sterna dougallii") and Common Terns ("Sterna hirundo"). Endemic predator species in these areas include feral cats and dogs, as well as rodents, but the latter limited by local kite species. But, the region is a hothouse of Azorean heather ("Erica azorica") and Forget-me-nots ("Myosotis azorica"). Ponta dos Rosais Ponta