mutton bird

Any of various shearwaters and petrels that breed in burrows on Australasian islands. Each parent feeds the chick for 2–3 days and then leaves for up to three weeks in search of food. These foraging trips can cover a distance of 15,000 km/9,300 mi and mean the chick may be left unattended for over a week. By the time the chicks have reached independence they weigh around 900 g/32 lb, twice as heavy as their parents. The young are killed for food and oil.