As of today, out of season, returns ~September. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
The short-tailed shearwater (commonly called muttonbird) migrates annually from the North Pacific to breed on islands in Bass Strait and around Tasmania.
Birds arrive in spring, occupy burrows through summer to rear chicks, and the fledglings depart in autumn.
The seasonal return produces predictable dusk flightlines and noisy colony activity at night.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
|---|
| South Bruny / Adventure Bay clifftops |
| Maria Island - Darlington and Tasmanian mainland-facing points |
| + 2 more spots, with exact coordinates and timing, in the app → |
This is the short version
This page shows a taste. The app has the full list of where to see this, the exact timing, and live conditions for 1,000+ natural phenomena worldwide, so you know the moment one is genuinely worth the trip.