The sooty shearwater breeds in New Zealand, South East Australia and the southern tip of South America, but each year migrates north to take advantage of food in the Bering Sea. It is most commonly seen in Hawaiian waters moving north in March and April, and then again in September and October heading south. It is an all dark shearwater with silvery underwings that resemble fast flapping black footballs compared to the slow and graceful movements of the resident ʻuaʻu kani.

The map below shows hotspots along our birding trails where you might see this bird.