This bird is extremely agile at sea, but very clumsy on land. With distinct vocalizations, the yellow color of its beak identifies it. Juvenile Cory's shearwaters, at just 3 months old, begin their exciting journey across the Atlantic Ocean, flying masterfully between the waves for hours on end. Spending most of their lives at sea, only coming to land for breeding, they form "rafts" during this period. After breeding, they migrate to wintering grounds in the South Atlantic.

In the Azores, breeding pairs of Cory's Shearwaters find their habitat, representing about 75% of the world's population of the species C. borealis. These birds nest on all the islands of the Azorean archipelago, covering both the main islands and the islets. The characteristic flight of the Cory's Shearwater is marked by spaced wing beats, interspersed with periods of graceful gliding over the waves. Despite living for more than 30 years, the fact that they lay only one egg and take so long to reach reproductive age makes the species very vulnerable to threats such as predation by invasive species or accidental bycatch in fisheries. Source: SPEA

The LIFE NATURE NIGHT project aims to reduce light pollution affecting protected areas in the Madeira, Azores, and Canary archipelagos and to mitigate its impacts on EU-protected species. By using seabirds as indicators, it seeks to mitigate impacts on biodiversity and human health. Local collaboration focuses on efficient lighting solutions to promote sustainable resource management and combat climate change. It is important to highlight that the species Calonectris borealis has been protected by specific regulations since 1995, underscoring the ongoing need for conservation.