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As top predators, seabirds can be indirectly impacted by climate variability and commercial fishing activities through changes in marine communities. However, high mobility and foraging behaviour enables seabirds to exploit prey distributed patchily in time and space. This capacity to adapt to environmental change can be described through the study of their diet. Traditionally, the diet of seabirds is assessed through the morphological identification of prey remains in regurgitates. This sampling method is invasive for the bird and limited in terms of taxonomic resolution. However, the recent progress in DNA-based approaches is now providing a non-invasive means to more comprehensively and accurately characterize animal diets. Here, we used a non-invasive metabarcoding approach to characterize the diet of the Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica), which is an endangered burrowing species, endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. We collected 99 fresh faecal samples at two different seasons and in two different sub-colonies. Our aims were to describe the diet of the Westland petrel, investigate seasonal and spatial variation in the petrels’ diet, and assess potential impacts of the New Zealand fishery industry. We found that amphipods were the most common prey, followed by cephalopods and fish. Our results could be the result of natural foraging behaviour, but also suggest a close link between the composition of prey items and New Zealand’s commercial fishing activities. In particular, the high abundance of amphipods could be the result of Westland petrels feeding on discarded fisheries waste (fish guts). Our results also showed significant differences in diet between seasons (before hatching vs chick-rearing season) and between sampling sites (two sub-colonies 1.5 km apart), indicating plasticity in the foraging strategy of the Westland petrel. Due to its non-invasive nature, metabarcoding of faecal samples can be applied to large numbers of samples to help describe dietary variation in seabirds and indicate their ecological requirements. In our example, dietary DNA (dDNA) provided valuable information regarding the dietary preferences of an iconic species in New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. dDNA can thus inform the conservation of endangered or at-risk species that have elusive foraging behaviours.

We describe a new Procellaria petrel species from the late Pliocene of Taranaki, New Zealand. The new species is most similar morphologically to the White-Chinned Petrel (P. aequinoctialis), Spectacled Petrel (P. conspicillata) and the Westland Petrel (P. westlandica). Compared with those taxa, the new species has a deeper and shorter premaxilla, longer coracoid and shorter wings, while its legs are a similar size. Today, New Zealand is the centre of global diversity of the genus, with four breeding species. This is the first fossil species of Procellaria to be described from New Zealand, attesting to a reasonably long history of this genus in the region.

We report the breeding success of four species of burrow-nesting petrels at sub-Antarctic Marion Island where house miceMus musculusare the sole introduced mammal. Feral catsFelis catuswere present on Marion for four decades from 1949, killing millions of seabirds and greatly reducing petrel populations. Cats were eradicated by 1991, but petrel populations have shown only marginal recoveries. We hypothesize that mice are suppressing their recovery through depredation of petrel eggs and chicks. Breeding success for winter breeders (grey petrelsProcellaria cinerea(34±21%) and great-winged petrelsPterodroma macroptera(52±7%)) were lower than for summer breeders (blue petrelsHalobaena caerulea(61±6%) and white-chinned petrelsProcellaria aequinoctialis(59±6%)) and among winter breeders most chick fatalities were of small chicks up to 14 days old. We assessed the extent of mouse predation by monitoring the inside of 55 burrow chambers with video surveillance cameras (4024 film days from 2012–16) and recorded fatal attacks on grey (3/18 nests filmed, 17%) and great-winged petrel chicks (1/19, 5%). Our results show that burrow-nesting petrels are at risk from mouse predation, providing further motivation for the eradication of mice from Marion Island.

Since 2004 there has been mounting evidence of the severe impact of introduced house mice (Mus musculusL.) killing chicks of burrow-nesting petrels at Gough Island. We monitored seven species of burrow-nesting petrels in 2014 using a combination of infra-red video cameras augmented by burrowscope nest inspections. All seven camera-monitored Atlantic petrel (Pterodroma incertaSchlegel) chicks were killed by mice within hours of hatching (average 7.2±4.0 hours) with an 87% chick failure rate (n=83 hatchlings). Several grey petrel (Procellaria cinereaGmelin) chicks were found with mouse wounds and 60% of chicks failed (n=35 hatchlings). Video surveillance revealed one (of seven nests filmed) fatal attack on a great shearwater (Puffinus gravisO’Reilly) chick and two (of nine) on soft-plumaged petrel (Pterodroma mollisGould) chicks. Mice killed the chicks of the recently discovered summer-breeding MacGillivray’s prion (Pachyptila macgillivrayiMathews), with a chick mortality rate of 82% in 2013/14 and 100% in 2014/15. The closely-related broad-billed prion (P. vittataForster) breeds in late winter and also had a chick mortality rate of 100% in 2014. The results provide further evidence of the dire situation for seabirds nesting on Gough Island and the urgent need for mouse eradication.

Primary, tail and body moult of three seabirds from Tristan da Cunha archipelago were studied by castnetting offshore south Brazil from February 2006 to August 2007. Timing, duration and synchronization of primary and tail moult are described relative to the annual calendar. Body moult overlapped breeding in Atlantic yellow-nosed albatrosses (Thalassarche chlororhynchos), but tail and primary moult did not. Spectacled petrels (Procellaria conspicillata) had protracted body moult, whereas primary and tail moult were completed by August. We documented onset of primary moult during chick-rearing in spectacled petrels and great shearwaters (Puffinus gravis) of unknown breeding status, and suggest that the south-west Atlantic Ocean holds important numbers of moulting birds of both species during the summer–early autumn. The albatrosses and the spectacled petrels replaced rectrices alternately. Great shearwaters replaced rectrices outward, starting at the central pair. Primary, tail and body moult largely overlap in all three species, suggesting that the metabolic costs of primary moult may not be overly restrictive. Metabolic and nutritional ability to afford simultaneous moult of different feather tracts support the idea that impaired flight caused by wing moult is a strong factor driving no overlap of primary moult and breeding.

The Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica) is an endemic New Zealand species and one of the very few burrowing seabird species still breeding on mainland New Zealand. It nests only on a series of coastal ridgelines near to Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island. Between 2002 and 2005, surveys were undertaken at 28 of the 29 known colonies. The area occupied by the colonies was 73 ha; most colonies had fewer than 50 burrows, but six colonies had 201–500 burrows and four colonies had more than 1000 burrows. We find that the current breeding range of Westland petrel and the location of individual colonies are similar to those reported in both the 1950s and 1970s. Based on total burrow counts at 28 colonies and burrow occupancy rates determined by annual monitoring, the annual breeding population is estimated to be between 2954 and 5137 breeding pairs.

Satellite transmitters were attached to eight adult spectacled petrels Procellaria conspicillata Gould captured during the early incubation period at their breeding grounds on Inaccessible Island, one of the Tristan da Cunha Islands in the central South Atlantic Ocean. Data on their at-sea distribution was obtained for up to six months. All birds remained within the South Atlantic from 24–44°S, with most between 25 and 40°S. Breeding birds mainly foraged in oceanic waters, but failed breeders or non-breeders concentrated their foraging activity over the Rio Grande Rise and the Walvis Ridge and along the shelf break off the east coast of South America. Little foraging occurred along the Benguela shelf break off southern Africa. Non-breeders favoured relatively warm water with low chlorophyll concentrations, reducing the risk of bycatch in fisheries. Tracked birds spent 16% of their time in areas with high levels of tuna longline fishing activity, with overlap greater for non-breeding birds (22%) than breeding birds (3%). Birds in this study foraged in shallower waters along the continental shelf edge off South America than spectacled petrels tracked in this area in winter, potentially increasing their risk of exposure to demersal longline fisheries in this area in summer.

SummaryThe predatory behaviour of introduced house mice Mus musculus at Gough Island is known to impact on albatross and petrels, resulting in the Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena and Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta being listed as “Critically Endangered” and “Endangered”, respectively. Although predation has been documented for two burrowing petrels and one albatross species, the impact of house mice on other burrowing petrels on Gough Island is unknown. We report burrow occupancy and breeding success of Atlantic Petrels, Soft-plumaged Petrels Pterodroma mollis, Broad-billed Prions Pachyptila vittata, Grey Petrels Procellaria cinerea and Great Shearwaters Puffinus gravis. With the exception of the Great Shearwater, breeding parameters of burrowing petrels at Gough Island were very poor, with low burrow occupancy (range 4–42%) and low breeding success (0–44%) for four species, and high rates of chick mortality in Atlantic Petrel burrows. Breeding success decreased with mass, suggesting that smaller species are hardest hit, and winter-breeding species had lower breeding success than summer breeders. The results indicate that introduced house mice are having a detrimental impact on a wider range of species than previously recorded and are likely to be causing population declines among most burrowing petrels on Gough Island. The very low values of burrow occupancy recorded for Soft-plumaged Petrels and Broad-billed Prions and greatly reduced abundance of burrowing petrels in comparison to earlier decades indicate that Gough Island’s formerly abundant petrel populations are greatly threatened by the impact of predatory house mice which can only be halted by the eradication of this species from the island.

Seabirds deposit large quantities of marine detritus on land, but little is known of the soil arthropods processing this material. Burrow-nesting seabirds concentrate their activities within their burrows, so we tested the hypothesis that burrow arthropod fauna is more marine-like in its isotopic enrichment (13C/12C, 15N/14N; expressed as δ13C and δ15N) than the arthropods on the adjacent forest floor. Results from a Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica) colony on the South Island of New Zealand did not support the hypothesis. Instead, δ15N was universally marine (13–22‰). While δ13C separated into two clusters, the distribution was not according to arthropod provenance. Most taxa had a terrestrial δ13C; only two taxa (a leiodid beetle and the mesostigmatic mite Ayersacarus woodi) incorporated marine C. The leiodid beetle occurs both in burrows and on the forest floor; beetles from both habitats had a marine δ13C. Ayersacarus woodi is found only in burrows. We conclude that, in this system, m...

Seabirds are amongst the most globally-threatened of all groups of birds, and conservation issues specific to albatrosses (Diomedeidae) and large petrels (Procellaria spp. and giant petrels Macronectes spp.) led to drafting of the multi-lateral Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). Here we review the taxonomy, breeding and foraging distributions, population status and trends, threats and priorities for the 29 species covered by ACAP. Nineteen (66%) are listed as threatened by IUCN, and 11 (38%) are declining. Most have extensive at-sea distributions, and the greatest threat is incidental mortality (bycatch) in industrial pelagic or demersal longline, trawl or artisanal fisheries, often in both national and international waters. Mitigation measures are available that reduce bycatch in most types of fisheries, but some management bodies are yet to make these mandatory, levels of implementation and monitoring of compliance are often inadequate, and there are insufficient observer programmes collecting robust data on bycatch rates. Intentional take, pollution (including plastic ingestion), and threats at colonies affect fewer species than bycatch; however, the impacts of disease (mainly avian cholera) and of predation by introduced species, including feral cats (Felis catus), rats (Rattus spp.) and house mice (Mus musculus), are severe for some breeding populations. Although major progress has been made in recent years in reducing bycatch rates and in controlling or eradicating pests at breeding sites, unless conservation efforts are intensified, the future prospects of many species of albatrosses and large petrels will remain bleak. Fil: Phillips, R. A.. British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council; Reino Unido Fil: Gales, R.. No especifica; Fil: Baker, G. B.. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies ; Australia Fil: Double, M. C.. Australian Antarctic Division; Australia Fil: Favero, Marco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina Fil: Quintana, Flavio Roberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; Argentina Fil: Tasker, M. L.. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Inverdee House; Reino Unido Fil: Weimerskirch, H.. Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé; Francia Fil: Uhart, M.. University of California; Estados Unidos Fil: Wolfaart, A.. No especifica

During seabird censuses performed as part of scientific research looking into seabird bycatch onboard industrial pelagic longline vessels targeting swordfish (Xiphias gladius) we made the first documented records of black petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) in the pelagic waters of northern Chile, considerably extending the species’ range southward. These observations were made during hauling operations in the austral winters of 2008, 2009 and 2010 between 23°00'S and 32°49'S. Black petrels were observed in 9.6% of censuses and a total of 10 birds were recorded. Despite the fact that this species fed upon discards and wastes generated during fishing, no incidental mortality was observed. Our results are relevant to the conservation of the black petrel in the south-eastern Pacific marine ecosystem, as they provide new information on species range and interactions with pelagic fisheries.

Rapid classification of a study subject's gender is critical for many ecological, behavioral, and conservation projects. We evaluated sexual-size dimorphism of adult Westland Petrels (Procellaria westlandica), a large nocturnal colony-nesting seabird, using linear discriminant function analysis and compared our results to birds classified using standard DNA gender identification techniques. The results revealed a strong pattern of sexual dimorphism (Wilks' Lambda = 0.43, F7,29 = 5.6, P < 0.001) in the standard discriminant function analysis despite an unbalanced sex ratio in our sample of adults captured at the breeding colony. Minimum bill depth and head length, of the seven morphometric characters we measured, successfully assigned the correct gender to 95% of all individuals sampled (n = 37). We provide a canonical classification function of morphological traits that may be used in the field to rapidly differentiate adult females and males of this rare petrel species.

Ayersacarus woodi sp. n. (Acari: Leptolaelapidae) is described from Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica Falla) burrows at Punakaiki, South Island, New Zealand. The genus has previously been reported only from sub-Antarctic islands. The new species is most like A. plumapilus Hunter (type species) but differs from it in females in the size and shape of the epigynal shield; much larger metapodal shields; and a wider than long anal shield with lateral pores. The ecology of the new species was explored using stable isotope (13C/12C; 15N/14N) analysis of females alongside contextual data from the site. From the 13C/12C results, the new species is dependent on marine C from petrels rather than terrestrial photosynthetic C. In terms of trophic level, the isotopic data are consistent with consumption of guano decomposers or their eggs.

Until recently, the spectacled petrel Procellaria conspicillata Gould was listed as Critically Endangered due to its small population size and ongoing incidental mortality on fishing gear. Surveys at its sole breeding locality, Inaccessible Island in the central South Atlantic Ocean, indicated that the population increased from 1999–2004, resulting in the species being down-listed to Vulnerable. We repeated the census of breeding spectacled petrels during the early incubation period in October–November 2009. Numbers of burrows increased by 55% from 2004–09, with increases in all count zones, and the greatest changes in peripheral populations. Burrow occupancy estimates remained high, averaging 81% during one-off checks. Our best estimate of the population in 2009 was 14 400 pairs, continuing the c. 7% per year increase inferred since the 1930s following the disappearance of introduced pigs. This confirms the rapid recovery of this species despite ongoing mortality on fishing gear. Our results suggest that at least some procellariiforms are able to sustain strong growth rates in the face of fishing mortality when colony based threats are removed.

A recent analysis of archaeological bird remains from Harataonga Bay, Great Barrier Island is reported and compared with a prior study conducted in the 1960s. The assemblages come from two Maori occupations, one dating to ca. fourteenth century AD and the other to late prehistory. The new study identifies several previously unreported species for Harataonga, and the first record of prehistoric Maori use of Black Petrel or Taiko (Procellaria parkinsoni), and possibly Pycroft's Petrel (Pterodroma pycrofti). The assemblages are dominated by seabirds, a common pattern for the South Island but unusual for more northern areas, where forest birds are typically better represented. The limited forest birds are concentrated in the early occupation. Combining the two studies broadens our understanding of past species distributions on Great Barrier Island, and Maori use of these resources over time. Analytically, comparison of the two studies, one conducted some time ago, demonstrates the impact of fine-mesh...

Satellite transmitters were used to determine the marine habitat utilization and fishery overlap of wintering spectacled petrels Procellaria conspicillata in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean in 2006 and 2007. Kernel density analysis of tracked birds demonstrated intense use of waters in the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone, from 26 to 31° S, mainly over the continental shelf break and off- shore waters (mean depth in the < 20% kernel density areas = 1043 ± 794 m), over warm tropical and subtropical waters (mean SST = 22°C and 21°C in 2006 and 2007, respectively) and mesotrophic/ oligotrophic waters (chlorophyll a density = 0.301 and 0.281 mg m -3 in 2006 and 2007, respectively). These habitats used by spectacled petrels are remarkably different from those used by their sister species, the white-chinned petrel P. aequinoctialis, which occurs mainly over the continental shelf on sub-Antarctic and productive waters. A close association between spectacled petrels and the pelagic longline fishery was demonstrated through comparison of the main kernel areas used by spectacled petrels and the areas used by the pelagic longline fleet determined by fishing effort at resolution of 1 × 1° quadrants. Travel speeds and distances during night and daytime periods did not differ. The present study demonstrates the importance of high resolution fishing effort data to address relation- ships between bird marine habitat use and specific fishing fleets, and to determine marine habitats and investigate at sea segregation between closely related species.

Most studies of seabirds that involve trapping and marking birds are carried out at breeding colonies. This bias toward the breeding period and colony-based research is partially caused by difficulties in capturing birds at sea. From 2005 to 2007, we used a cast net thrown by hand from a fishing boat to capture albatrosses and petrels at sea in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. About 500 birds of 13 species were captured, ranging in size from the 30-g Wilson's Storm-petrel {Oceanites oceanicus) to the 10-kg Wandering Albatross {Diomedea exulans). Cast nets are potentially useful for capturing any seabird that can be attracted close to fishing vessels by bait, such as sardines, squid, offal, or shark liver, thrown into the water. Our method was most effective for capturing bold species, such as Cape {Daption capense), Spectacled {Procellaria conspicillata), and White-chinned {Procellaria aequinoctialis) petrels and Great Shearwaters {Puff nus gravis), but was not effective for capturing shy species, such as Cory's {Calonectris diomedea), Cape Verde {Calonectris edwardsii) and Manx {Puff nus puff nus) shearwaters, species that rarely sit on the water, such as Wilson's Storm-petrels, Thin-billed {Pachyptila belcheri) and Antarctic {Pachyptila desolata) prions and Atlantic Petrels {Pterodroma incerta), and species with excellent diving abilities, such as Sooty Shearwaters {Puff nus griseus). For many species of seabirds, cast nets would likely be more efficient for capturing large numbers of birds than other methods, such as hoop nets.

The southwestern Atlantic Ocean is an important foraging ground throughout the year for several albatross and petrel species. Longline fishing fleets in the region currently pose the main threat for this group of seabirds at sea, and conservation measures are urgently required. We present information on bycatch rates of seabirds in the Brazilian domestic pelagic longline fishery from 2001 to 2007, and review bycatch rates reported for the demersal and pelagic longline fisheries in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Overall seabird capture rate for the Brazilian pelagic longline fleet during 63 cruises (656 sets and 788 446 hooks) was 0.229 birds per 1000 hooks, varying from 0 to 0.542 according to season. Capture rates were higher between June and November (cold season) and affected mainly the black-browed albatross Thalassarche melanophris (55% of birds captured), the white-chinned petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis, the spectacled petrel Procellaria conspicillata and the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos. Capture rates previously reported in the SW Atlantic varied from 0 to 5.03 birds per 1000 hooks, with those reports based on logbooks or fishermen interviews tending to underestimate capture rates, whereas those based on small num- bers of hooks or short time periods tend to greatly overestimate rates in both pelagic and demersal longline fisheries. Previous studies have played an important role in delimiting the seabird bycatch problem, forming a baseline for mitigation actions and serving as a guide for improvements in data collection. However, data collected by onboard seabird-dedicated observers are more reliable, pro- vide a greater range of information relating to bycatch, and form a baseline for more robust analysis and addressing further questions. The current study highlights the stochastic nature of seabird fatal- ities in longline fisheries and the need for extensive sampling to obtain realistic estimates of capture rates covering different years, seasons, vessels, and the range of fishing gear and practices.

We studied the diet of feral cats (Felis catus) on New Island, Falkland Islands, through the analysis of 373 scats collected during the austral summers of 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. The most frequent prey were three introduced mammals (house mice Mus musculus, ship rats Rattus rattus and rabbits Sylvilagus sp.) and the thin-billed prion Pachyptila belcheri (each season present on ca. 21% of the analysed scats). These represent the first systematic data on feral cat diet for the Falklands. A simple bioenergetics model suggests that cats could be eating in the region of 1,500–11,000 prions per season, representing

Marine nitrogen (N) has been traced into terrestrial and freshwater food chains at petrel (Aves: Procellariiformes) colonies on the South Island of New Zealand, but the effects of N or other marine‐derived nutrients on the productivity of mainland forests are unknown. Mean ring widths in matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia; n = 3) and rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum; n = 2) trees growing in a Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica) colony were 0.9–1.4 mm yr–1, similar to ring widths reported elsewhere. However, series of much wider rings in cores showed that trees in a petrel colony can experience periods of accelerated growth. δ15N values of whole wood were, at 3.2–11.1%, significantly enriched in comparison to other temperate forest trees. The highest δ15N values were at the cambial and pith ends of different cores, so isotopic fractionation during N remobilisation is unlikely to have been significant. The radial extent of 15N enrichment suggests that petrels have bred at the site since at least the mid...

International audience; Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly applied in conservation management to predict suitable habitat for poorly known populations. High predictive performance of SDMs is evident in validations performed within the model calibration area (interpolation), but few studies have assessed SDM transferability to novel areas (extrapolation), particularly across large spatial scales or pelagic ecosystems. We performed rigorous SDM validation tests on distribution data from three populations of a long-ranging marine predator, the grey petrel Procellaria cinerea, to assess model transferability across the Southern Hemisphere (25-65°S). Oceanographic data were combined with tracks of grey petrels from two remote sub-Antarctic islands (Antipodes and Kerguelen) using boosted regression trees to generate three SDMs: one for each island population, and a combined model. The predictive performance of these models was assessed using withheld tracking data from within the model calibration areas (interpolation), and from a third population, Marion Island (extrapolation). Predictive performance was assessed using k-fold cross validation and point biserial correlation. The two population-specific SDMs included the same predictor variables and suggested birds responded to the same broad-scale oceanographic influences. However, all model validation tests, including of the combined model, determined strong interpolation but weak extrapolation capabilities. These results indicate that habitat use reflects both its availability and bird preferences, such that the realized distribution patterns differ for each population. The spatial predictions by the three SDMs were compared with tracking data and fishing effort to demonstrate the conservation pitfalls of extrapolating SDMs outside calibration regions. This exercise revealed that SDM predictions would have led to an underestimate of overlap with fishing effort and potentially misinformed bycatch mitigation efforts. Although SDMs can elucidate potential distribution patterns relative to large-scale climatic and oceanographic conditions, knowledge of local habitat availability and preferences is necessary to understand and successfully predict region-specific realized distribution patterns.

Pelagic longline fisheries worldwide incidentally take long-lived seabird species. This mortality has led to fisheries restrictions to protect seabirds at risk, including Wandering (Diomedea exulans) and Amsterdam Albatross (D. amsterdamensis) in the South Pacific and Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata) in the South Atlantic. Because pelagic longline fisheries involve multinational fleets operating in vast ocean regions, assessing total bycatch levels for a seabird is challenging. Here we present a case study of quantifying bycatch from a basin-wide pelagic longline fishery and assessing the population-level impact on a vulnerable seabird, the Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) in the central North Pacific. We develop an assessment method that uses observer data to estimate bycatch for one fleet and then uses scenario analysis to estimate bycatch for remaining fleets. Our method generates a bounded estimate of bycatch within an ocean region, ranging from the worst-case to the best-case bycatch scenario. We find that Black-footed Albatross mortality across all fleets in the central North Pacific may total as much as 10 000 individuals/yr. At this level of mortality, population declines are likely. However, even at the best-case bycatch estimate (5200 individuals/yr), population declines may occur over the next three generations (60 years). Although this analysis requires extensive estimation and extrapolation from existing data, it is critical to provide fisheries managers with bounded estimates of likely population-level effects of current fishing activity. Corresponding Editor: Paul Dayton

The Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata is endemic to Inaccessible Island, in the Tristan da Cunha group (central South Atlantic). The species is considered an occasional visitor to Argentina and there are few records of the species in national waters. On 13 February 2014, two birds were observed (and photographed) 89 nautical miles southeast off Buenos Aires Province at 38°55'S, 56°00'W. This record represents the second documented record of Spectacled Petrel for Argentina.

SummaryThe Spectacled Petrel Procellaria [aequinoctialis] conspicillata only breeds at Inaccessible Island, central South Atlantic Ocean. During the early 1980s the population was estimated to be at most 1,000 pairs, but hundreds of Spectacled Petrels have been killed annually in longline fisheries off the east coast of South America since at least 1987. Although the population is characterized by a unique plumage trait, it is still regarded as a subspecies of the White-chinned Petrel P. aequinoctialis. Analysis of calls and playback experiments show that the Spectacled Petrel is vocally distinct from White-chinned Petrels and should be regarded as a valid biological species. It is also slightly smaller and breeds earlier than the White-chinned Petrel. Given its small population size and known mortality on longlines, the Spectacled Petrel is Endangered in terms of IUCN criteria C1 and C2b. Longline fisheries operating off South America should institute measures to reduce seabird by-catch. A survey of the breeding population at Inaccessible Island is required to assess the rate at which the population is decreasing.

Iso‐electric focusing was used to identify fish tissue in Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica) diet samples. Forty‐five percent of the samples from Westland petrel stomachs produced clear protein banding patterns and more than half of these were identified as species common in fisheries’ waste. Proteins in the other samples were presumably too digested for this technique. Iso‐electric focusing is a comparatively quick and inexpensive technique and is particularly useful for diet studies where flesh eaten is likely to be relatively undigested at the time of sampling.

Although the genus Pseudobulweria was described in 1936 for the Fiji Petrel (Ps. macgillivrayi), its validity, phylogenetic relationships, and the number of constituent taxa it contains remain controversial. We tried to clarify these issues with 496 bp sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene of 12 taxa representing three putative subspecies of Pseudobulweria, seven species in six other genera of the Procellariidae (fulmars, petrels, and shearwaters), and one species each from the Hydrobatidae (storm-petrels) and Pelecanoidi- dae (diving-petrels). We also include published sequences for two other petrels (Procellaria cinerea and Macronectes giganteus) and use Diomedea exulans and Pelecanus erythrorhynchos as outgroups. Based on the pronounced sequence divergence (5 to 5.5%) and separate phylo- genetic history from other genera that have been thought to be closely related to or have been synonymized with Pseudobulweria, we conclude that the genus is valid, and that the Mascarene Petrel (Pseudobulweria aterrima) and the Tahiti Petrel (Ps. rostrata) are distinct spe- cies. In trees constructed with maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood, Pseudobul- weria is the sister taxon to Puffinus and Calonectris, and these genera in turn are most closely related to Bulweria (and Procellaria in the maximum-parsimony tree). Pseudobulweria is not closely related to Pterodroma in either tree. Because Ps. r. trouessarti from New Caledonia, and Ps. r. rostrata from Polynesia differ by only 0.6%, these taxa do not deserve species status and should be regarded as valid subspecies. Received 7 October 1996, accepted 23 July 1997.

Although the Eastern Tropical Pacific is well known for its diverse fauna, the seabirds occurring off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast have received little scientific attention. With seabirds now the fastest declining avian group, a better understanding of seabird diversity and abundance in this region is urgently needed. We report on observations of Costa Rica’s Pacific seabirds made during 19 days of observations on 11 offshore trips from 2006-2010. We provide, for the first time, spatially and seasonally explicit information on the distribution of 41 species of seabirds (nine families). Species diversity is higher during the dry-wet season (36 species) and wet-dry season transitions (36 species) than during the dry season (19 species). The fauna included three threatened species (Pterodroma phaeopygia, Procellaria parkinsoni, and Puffinus creatopus) and two near-threatened species (Psueudobulweria rostrata and Thalasseus elegans), highlighting the importance of Costa Rican waters for the conservation of seabirds. El Pacifico Tropical Oriental es bien conocido por su diversa fauna; sin embargo, las aves marinas que se encuentran frente a la costa pacífica de Costa Rica no han recibido mucha atención científica. Reconociendo que las aves marinas representan el grupo de aves que más rápidamente está disminuyendo, se requiere urgentemente un mejor conocimiento de la diversidad y abundancia de las aves marinas en esta región. Reportamos observaciones de aves marinas del Pacifico de Costa Rica hechas durante 19 días de observación en 11 giras mar afuera entre el 2006 y el 2010. Proveemos, por primera vez, información espacialmente y estacionalmente sobre la distribución de 41 especies de aves marinas (nueve familias). La diversidad de especies es mayor durante las transiciones entre las estaciones seca-húmeda (36 especies) y húmeda-seca (36 especies) que durante la estación seca (19 especies). La avifauna incluye tres especies amenazadas (Pterodroma phaeopygia, Procellaria parkinsoni y Puffinus creatopus) y dos especies casi amenazadas (Psueudobulweria rostrata y Thalasseus elegans), lo que resalta la importancia de las aguas costarricenses para la conservación de las aves marinas.

The use of discarded fish over baited hooks used in longline fishery, and fish caught in gillnets, as a food source for gulls, albatrosses and petrels has been intensively studied in northern and southern oceans. This study describes the occurrence and abundance of seabirds observed from 20 foreign vessels which operated during the period between July 2001 and May 2005, off the southeastern and southern Brazilian coast. A total of 353,557 seabirds were observed; comprising eight families and 28 species. The most abundant species was Procellaria conspicillata followed by Daption capense, Puffinus gravis, Thalassarche melanophrys and Oceanites oceanicus. Ten species of seabirds (392 individual birds) were incidentally captured in gillnets; and 122 birds (9 species) by longline hooks, with P. gravis, D. capense and Procellaria aequinoctialis having the largest capture rates.

Background: Determining the foraging movements of pelagic seabirds is fundamental for their conservation. However, the vulnerability and elusive lifestyles of these animals have made them notoriously difficult to study. Recent developments in satellite telemetry have enabled tracking of smaller seabirds during foraging excursions. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we report the first successful precision tracking of a c. 700 g seabird, the vulnerable Black Petrel, Procellaria parkinsoni, foraging at sea during the breeding season, using miniature GPS-logging technology. Employing a combination of high-resolution fixes and low-power duty-cycles, we present data from nine individual foraging excursions tracked during the chick-rearing period in February 2006. Conclusions/Significance: We provide a snapshot of the species' foraging range and behaviour in relation to detailed underlying bathymetry off the coast of New Zealand, finding a significant relationship between foraging movements and regions of the shelf-break. We also highlight the potential of more sophisticated analyses to identify behavioural phenomena from position data alone. © 2010 Freeman et al.

The Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan is listed as Near Threatened under the IUCN Red List (IUCN 2010). Malta holds internationally important breeding populations of this species, with between 1,660 and 1,980 breeding pairs, equating to approximately 10% of the world population (Borg et al. 2010). The largest colony in the Maltese islands is found at Rdum tal-Madonna, in the north-east of Malta, which is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for this species. As this area holds over one-third of the Maltese population, the site has been the subject of a four year EU LIFE project, focussed on the conservation of the species on land and at sea. As part of the project, intensive work was carried out using a range of telemetry techniques to ascertain important marine areas for this species. This paper examines one aspect of this research – the identification of rafting areas for Yelkouan Shearwater during the breeding season, specifically birds nesting at the colony located at Rdum tal-Madonna in the north of the island. In Malta, Yelkouan Shearwaters begin returning to their nesting sites in October, with egg-laying beginning in March. Chicks hatch in late April and by late July the last juvenile birds have fledged (Borg et al. 2010). Rafting behaviour is common amongst shearwaters during the breeding season, with adult birds often forming large aggregations in the waters near to their colonies in the hours before darkness prior to returning to their nest sites. It is not clear why these birds form rafts and some scientists have hypothesised that this behaviour may have developed to reduce the chances of predation of birds returning to nest sites, with the birds remaining in their rafts until nightfall and the cover of darkness (Klomp et al. 1992). Alternatively, it could be because birds which are away for several days at distant food sources cannot time their returns precisely, so assemble to wait until it is safe to return to the nests in groups (Warham 1990). Rafts of Cory‟s Shearwaters Calonectris diomedea offshore from colonies in Malta can be very large, with the rafts of this species off Ta Cenc (one of the largest colonies) often numbering in the 1,000s in summer (Bonavia et al. 2005). Rafts of Yelkouan Shearwaters tend to be smaller and less obvious than those of the Cory‟s Shearwater. Consequently, they are often overlooked and limited data is available. This paper considers data collected from data loggers on the location of rafting sites for Yelkouan Shearwaters breeding at Rdum tal-Madonna prior to returning to their nest sites after nightfall. Rafting sites at other times of the year or for other reasons, such as prior to the breeding season, at offshore feeding sites, or in the post-breeding season moulting period are not included here., N/A

During 28 research vessel cruises in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean from 1976 through 1990, Parkinson's Petrels (Procellaria parkinsoni) were observed near shore from southern Mexico (ca. 15?N) to northern Peru (ca. 5?S), and along a broad seaward extension that continued west of the Galapagos Islands to 110?W. Parkinson's Petrels regularly associated with dolphins: of the 618 petrels observed, 469 (76%) were associated with 10 species of dolphins, on 55 occasions, with I to 300 petrels present. They occurred mostly with two rare dolphin species: the melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) and the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens). This appeared to be a largely obligatory foraging relationship for Parkinson's Petrels. Associations with other dolphin species occurred primarily when those species also associated with melon-headed and false killer whales. Parkinson's Petrels avoided a common and widespread, multi-species feeding assemblage which consisted of a diverse, fast-moving group of seabirds, spotted and spinner dolphins (Stenella attenuata and S. longirostris), and tuna, all of which feed on live prey forced to the surface. The lumbering Parkinson's Petrels appeared ill-equipped to take such prey. In contrast, melon-headed and false killer whales apparently fed by dismembering large prey below the surface and so, provided feeding opportunities for a scavenging bird with diving capabilities. Among eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) seabirds, Parkinson's Petrels alone are adapted for recovering food scraps well below the surface. Parkinson's Petrels appear to be more dependent on marine mammals for foraging than any other species of seabird studied and feed diurnally more than was previously thought.

Seabirds vector selenium (Se) into terrestrial ecosystems in Antarctica and on tropical coral islands, but factors controlling distribution within affected soils are unknown, especially in temperate regions. At a Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica) breeding colony on mainland New Zealand, the concentration of Se in petrel guano (3.6 mg kg–1) exceeded soil parent material (0.8 mg kg–1) and in all but two soil samples (range 1.2–4.2 mg kg–1; n = 52). External Se (Se not derived from parent material) accounted for 64 ± 9% (mean ± s.d.) of soil Se. Measurements were also made at a former seabird breeding site, and at a site with no Holocene seabird breeding. Median surface-soil Se concentrations (mg kg–1) were in the order burrow soil (2.6) > adjacent forest floor (2.2) > former breeding site (1.0) > control site (0.2), with significant differences between burrow soil and (1) the former breeding site and (2) the control site. In a linear regression model, soil pH, and δ15N were the only significant predictors of external Se in colony soil. The correlations are consistent with seabird input driving both the Se supply and increased sorptive uptake in an environment acidified by seabird guano. Despite the enhanced Se in colony soil, median foliage concentrations (tree fern 0.05 mg kg–1, nikau 0.08 mg kg–1) were close to the accepted minimum for herbivore nutrition. Seabirds therefore contribute significant Se to breeding colony soils in temperate areas, but this is not necessarily transferred to plant foliage.

The beaks of four species of Lycoteuthidae (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) were found in stomachs of black petrels Procellaria parkinsoni Gray (Aves: Procellariiformes) breeding on Little Barrier Island (36° 12'S, 175° 05'E). Two of these squids, Lycoteuthis diadema (Chun, 1900) and Oregoniateuthis longimanus (Steenstrup, 1857), previously have not been reported specifically from the south‐west Pacific Ocean. The others, which are much smaller, have not been positively identified. Lycoteuthis diadema seems to be common within the feeding range of this petrel, but to be restricted to northwards of 38° S in this region. Oregoniateuthis lorigera (Steenstrup, 1875), the binomen under which this taxon has been known hitherto, is shown to be a junior synonym of O. longimanus.

Stomach contents of 68 black petrels, Procellaria parkinsoni, 12 Westland black petrels, P. westlandica, and 3 white‐chinned petrels, P. aequinoctialis, were compared. The main prey were Cephalopoda and fish, and these indicated predominantly nocturnal feeding with selection for bioluminescent forms. There is marked latitudinal variation in the Cephalopoda available to these petrels.

Some osteological characters of Procellaria, Adamastor, Puffinus puffinus, Bulweria, Halobaena, Pachyptila, and Hydrobates were studied in comparison with related species. Procellaria and Adamastor are structurally very similar (although the skeleton of the latter shows more aquatic or diving adaptations) and are related to Calonectris. Bulweria is unique, especially in its slender humerus reminiscent of a miniature of aerial Calonectris humerus, but the skull is closest to Cookialia, a group of Pterodroma (though less bulky). Halobaena and Pachyptila, as pointed out by ALEXANDER et al. (1965), form a group with very similar skulls, humeri and other skeletal parts. Pagodroma is also related to them, but is to be included in the fulmar group by the same humerus types. The humeri of these groups and storm-petrels are of similar type, suggesting their relationships, but are different from the shearwater type. Pterodorma spp. form a distinct group, sharing some similar characteristics with the fulmar-Pachyptila assembly (especially in skull and humerus), also having intermediate characters toward shearwater group (in humeral process, etc.), but I incline, as before, to think it belongs to the fulmar, rather than shearwater assembly. Hydrobates may be retained by its skull character difference (though this may be an allometric deviation) from Oceanodroma spp