Inaccessible Island: Great Shearwaters
Inaccessible Island is home for large colonies of Great Shearwaters, a beautiful and large seabirds – Ardenna gravis – 43–51 cm (17–20 in) in length with a 105–122 cm (3.5–4.0 ft) wingspan. While great shearwaters migrate and fly up and down in southern and northern hemisphere (from Argentina/Brasil to Canada/UK), they nest only here on the four islands of the Tristan archipelago. The birds are absolutely stunning in flight, using thermals and side to side swings to exert very little effort and flying really close to the waves, almost shearing them with one wing (hence the name). And we saw large groups on the water!
