Barolo shearwater was formally described in 1857 by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte under the binomial name Procellaria baroli.

Mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequence analysis indicated that baroli and boydi were very close to the nominate subspecies of Audubon's shearwater.

The British Ornithologists' Union accepted P. baroli as a distinct species in 2005,[6] as has Clements Checklist.

[13] Like other Procellariforms, introduced predators (rats and cats) must be their main threats at breeding colonies.

In addition, fledglings are attracted to artificial lights at night during their maiden flights from nests to the sea.