Boieiro (Puffinus anglorum)

A marine bird not very common in these islands. It frequents the open sea during the day, returning to land by nightfall. Known as 'boieiro' by seafaring men during the day, and as 'estrapagado', 'papagarro' or 'patagarro' by everyone in Madeira at night, these onomatopoeic designations somewhat imitate its characteristic call. It breeds in the Desertas and on the inaccessible rocks of Madeira, such as Curral das Freiras, Areeiro, and Penha de Águia. It lays only one pure white egg in a hole in the rocks. For many people, it is a bird of ill omen. According to popular belief, whenever a 'patagarro' lands on a house during its nightly excursion from the mountains to the sea, or vice versa, it is a sign of imminent death among the inhabitants. It migrates away from the archipelago during the winter, returning at the end of February or beginning of March.