Which Australian seabird breeds mainly in Bass Strait and Tasmania, then migrates north?

The Australian seabird that breeds mainly in Bass Strait and Tasmania before migrating north is the short-tailed shearwater. Also called the slender-billed shearwater, it is one of the most abundant seabirds in Australian waters and travels vast distances between its breeding islands and northern feeding grounds.

During the austral winter, short-tailed shearwaters move north to seas around the Aleutian Islands and Kamchatka. In the austral spring, they travel down the coast of California before crossing the Pacific Ocean back toward Australia. This route is the reverse of the seasonal movement many Northern Hemisphere birds make toward warmer southern waters.

The species has several names that can cause confusion. In Australia and New Zealand it is commonly called the muttonbird, while “yolla” and “moonbird” are also used. Aboriginal Tasmanians have harvested the birds and their eggs for generations, and regulated muttonbirding continues in Tasmania. The chicks are unusually heavy when they fledge, weighing about 900 grams.