Maria Enriqueta Velarde (Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Pesquerías, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, México) and colleagues have published open-access in the journal Marine Ornithology on the discovery of the Near Threatened Black-vented Shearwater Puffinus opisthomelas breeding on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“The endangered Black-vented Shearwater has been reported nesting at only three islands in the Mexican Pacific Ocean, one of which contains ~95% of their world population.  We report on the nesting of this species at a new site, Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California, in 2010 and 2011, and on other signs of possible nesting in 2008 and 2009.  Evidence includes a nesting burrow; a genetically identified addled egg at a burrow entrance; nest activity, indicated by tracks and photographs of the nesting individuals; and, in several years, vocalizations, which were monitored to determine prevalence.  Although the number of nests at Isla Rasa has not been determined, our observations confirm the nesting of this species, which is the first such report for the Gulf of California.  We also report on the presence of the species at Isla Partida Norte, as well as on complementary records during marine surveys in the Midriff Islands Region.  Because of the endangered status of the Black-vented Shearwater and of the presence of introduced predators at islands where it is known to breed, the confirmed record of an alternative nesting site, which has now been freed of introduced rodents, bodes well for the conservation of the species.  It will be important to explore other potential nesting sites in the Gulf of California and to promote nesting of the species at Isla Rasa through the use of artificial burrows (nest boxes), vocalization playbacks or other methods.”

 Black-vented Shearwater

Reference:

Velarde, E., Ruiz, E.A., Aguilar, A. & Gallo, J.P. 2015.  Black-vented Shearwater Puffinus opisthomelas nesting in the Gulf of California: a major extension of breeding range.  Marine Ornithology 43: 249-254.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 08 November 2015

Eric Vanderwerf (Pacific Rim Conservation, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA) and colleagues have published on-line, open-access in the journal Marine Ornithology on aspects of the demography of Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis (Least Concern) on Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“The Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis is a small (350 g) Procellariiform seabird that nests on remote islands in the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean.  Little is known about its demography or conservation needs.  We banded and recaptured 1120 Christmas Shearwaters on Kure Atoll, the northwestern-most of the Hawaiian Islands, on 60 occasions during a 20-year period, 1995–2014.  To provide demographic information that is lacking for this species, we used robust design mark-recapture models to estimate apparent annual survival, emigration, capture probabilities, and size of the study population.  Annual survival of residents was 0.864 SE 0.034, which is typical for seabirds this size.  The oldest known bird was at least 17 years and 1 month old.  Of birds banded as chicks, the average age of first recapture was 3.9 years.  Among birds captured, 11% appeared to be transients.  The annual emigration rate was 0.249 SE 0.096.  Thirteen shearwaters captured on Kure originally were banded on Midway Atoll; three of [which] were captured multiple times and presumably were breeding on Kure, indicating there is exchange between the colonies on those two islands.  The size of the study population averaged 358 birds, with an increasing trend and an estimate of 480 birds in the last two years.  The primary reason for the population increase was eradication of Polynesian rats Rattus exulans in 1995, which has resulted in a 10-fold increase in shearwater population size since the last estimate in the 1980s.  The high survival rate and increasing number of birds indicate that the Kure Christmas Shearwater population is robust.”

Christmas Shearwater

Reference:

Vanderwerf, E.A, Smith, D.G., Vanderlip, C., Marie, A., Saunter, M., Parrish, J. & Worcester, N. 2015.  Status and demographic rates of the Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis on Kure Atoll.  Marine Ornithology 43: 199-205.

John Cooper ACAP Information Officer, 07 November 2015

Alex Bond (Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sandy, UK) and Jen Lavers have published in the journal Canadian Field-Naturalist on the occurrence of Flesh-footed Shearwaters Puffinus carneipes in the northern Pacific Ocean.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) breed in Australia and New Zealand, but spend the non-breeding season in the north Pacific Ocean.  They are rare compared with most non-breeding pelagic seabirds that occur in the northeastern Pacific.  Recent surveys at breeding colonies have indicated a significant population decline since the 1970s.  We compiled records of Flesh-footed Shearwaters off the Pacific coast of Canada and Alaska from 1937 to 2013.  Flesh-footed Shearwaters were recorded from May to October, with most sightings in August and September.  Flocks of more than 20 birds have not been recorded since the 1940s, and most sightings have been of single birds, although some key areas (e.g., Goose Island Bank) have not been surveyed in recent years and previous surveys are confounded by fishing activity.  Given the significant population declines at breeding colonies, the conservation status of Flesh-footed Shearwaters should be revisited.”

Flesh-footed Shearwater at sea, photograph by Tim Reid

Reference:

Bond, A.L. & Lavers, J.L. 2015.  Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) in the northeastern Pacific Ocean: summary and synthesis of records from Canada and Alaska.  Canadian Field-Naturalist 129: 263-267.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 06 November 2015

Desroches is a sandy 324-ha atoll in the outer Amirantes Group of the Seychelles in the western Indian Ocean, managed by the Islands Development Company and containing a five-star hotel from 2007 along with a conservation centre and a team from the Island Conservation Society (ICS).

On a recent visit this year James Russell of the University of Auckland surveyed the island’s Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus colony with Gérard Rocamora and Pep Nogués of the ICS .  While counting occupied burrows the call of a Tropical Shearwater P. bailloni (Least Concern) was heard, allowing an incubating bird to be found and photographed.  This constitutes the first definite breeding record of the species for the Amirantes Group.

The Tropical Shearwater was previously considered synonymous with Audubon’s Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri.

Tropical Shearwater incubating on Desroches Atoll, photograph by Pep Nogues

Desroches supports Black Rats Rattus rattus and it is thought surprising that the shearwaters have commenced breeding in their presence, although local control of rats around the hotel complex at the western end of the island does take place.

James Russell considers that eradicating the rats “would be a great initiative for the new hotel owners to take in order to grow tourism and restoration on the island.  Until then, ongoing control of rats around both the eastern and western points of the island would guarantee the longevity of these shearwater colonies, one of the few native bird species on the island”.

Read more on the discovery here.

With thanks to James Russell for information.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 05 November 2015, updated 09 November 2015