Black-vented shearwater Black-vented shearwater The black-vented shearwater ("Puffinus opisthomelas") is a species of seabird. The bird is 30–38 cm in size, with a 76–89 cm wingspan. Formerly considered a subspecies of the Manx shearwater, its actual relationships are unresolved. This species is pelagic, occurring in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. It comes closer to land than most other shearwaters, so it sometimes can be seen from shore. It predominantly nests on offshore islands off north and western Baja California, namely Isla de Guadalupe, Islas San Benito and Isla Natividad. It is fairly common off the United States coast of
Ilhéus do Rombo Cima is famous for its seabird colonies. Ilhéu Grande, which has been used by goat farmers and whalers in the past, does not currently support breeding seabirds, though large colonies must have existed formerly as the island has thick layers of guano. The island group has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports seabird colonies as well as peregrine falcons and Iago sparrows. Birds include the Frigate bird ("Pelagodroma marina") numbering around 1,000 in 1989, the Boyd's shearwater ("Puffinus boydi"), "Oceanodroma castro", Bulwer's petrel ("Bulweria bulwerii"), the brown booby ("Sula leucogaster") (50 pairs