Christmas shearwater (Puffinus nativitatis)

The Christmas shearwater(Puffinus nativitatis) is a medium-sized shearwater of the tropical Central Pacific.

The name Procellariiformes comes from Latin, combining procella (meaning "storm" or "gale") with -formes (meaning "shape" or "form"), literally "storm-shaped" or "storm-like," fitting these seabirds' reliance on wind for flight, and refers to their stormy habitats and powerful wings. 

The family name Procellariidae is derived from the type genus Procellaria which in turn is derived from the Latin word procella meaning "storm" or "gale".

The genus name Puffinus is not of certain origin. Some claim it stems from 17th-century descriptions of sea birds. "poffin" or "pophyn" or "puffing" are often referred to salted, fat nestlings, a delicacy.

Nativitatis is a Latin term, specifically the genitive singular form of nativitas, meaning "of birth" or "of the nativity".