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Capsule: Playback with dual-sex calls increases the response rate of Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus by 40–60% and reduces its daily variability, which would improve the precision of population estimates.Aims: To test whether playing male and female calls would elicit more responses to playback than male-only calls, reduce daily variability and the length of response rate calibration trials, and give more precise estimates. We also measured response times to playback and assessed the reliability of visual signs of occupancy at burrow entrances.Methods: Responses to four playback call-types (male-only and three variants of dual-sex calls) were compared in repeated trials at two colonies (Ramsey and Rum, UK) during May–June 2014.Results: Dual-sex calls gave higher response rates with lower variance than male-only calls, because females frequently replied to female calls but rarely to male calls. In simulated 3–5-day calibration trials, response rates and correction factors were up to 50% more pre...

Moku‘ae‘ae Rock Islet is located off the north shore of Kaua‘i and is protected as a Hawai‘i State Seabird Sanctuary. In the late 1970s it was also the site of a cross-fostering project for the endangered Newell’s Shearwater, Puffinus newelli . Few avifauna surveys have been undertaken on the islet, and none since 2007. In 2013 and 2015, we conducted burrow searches across the entire islet to obtain breeding population estimates for each species and to evaluate whether the Newell’s Shearwater had become established as a breeding species after the cross-fostering project. Auditory surveys were also conducted for 2 hr after sunset and 1.5 hr before sunrise, which are the peak calling periods for the Newell’s Shearwater on Kaua‘i. A total of seven seabird species was recorded on the islet, of which three, Bulwer’s Petrel, Bulweria bulwerii ; Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Ardenna pacifica ; and Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda , were confirmed breeding. This is the first time Bulwer’s Petrel has been confirmed breeding on Moku‘ae‘ae. Searches for Newell’s Shearwater did not produce evidence that this species breeds on the islet, suggesting that the cross-fostering project was not successful. Although the islet is small, it represents an important refuge for seabird species. However, high levels of depredation were recorded on Bulwer’s Petrel; we conclude that these were all killed by the introduced Barn Owl, Tyto alba , based on disposition of the bodies and the injuries they had sustained. Management recommendations for the islet include creation of a management plan, annual breeding bird surveys, annual rat monitoring, and Barn Owl control.

Este artículo contiene 13 páginas, 5 figuras, 1 tabla., Patterns of behavioural variation and migratory connectivity are important characteristics of populations, particularly at the edges of species distributions, where processes involved in influencing evolutionary trajectories, such as divergence, mutual persistence, and natural hybridization, can occur. Here, we focused on two closely related seabird species that breed in the Mediterranean: Balearic shearwaters (Puffinus mauretanicus) and Yelkouan shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan). Genetic and phenotypic evidence of hybridization between the two species on Menorca (the eastern and westernmost island in the breeding ranges of the two shearwaters, respectively) has provided important insights into relationships between these recently diverged species. Nevertheless, levels of behavioural and ecological differentiation amongst these populations remain largely unknown. Using geolocation and stable isotopes, we compared the at-sea movement behaviour of birds from the Menorcan ‘hybrid’ population with the nearest neighbouring populations of Balearic and Yelkouan shearwaters. The Menorcan population displayed a suite of behavioural features intermediate to those seen in the two species (including migration strategies, breeding season movements and limited data on phenology). Our findings provide new evidence to support suggestions that the Menorcan population is admixed, and indicate a role of non-breeding behaviours in the evolutionary trajectories of Puffinus shearwaters in the Mediterranean., This study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, UK (grant numbers: NE/J500227/1, EK192-02/12).The National Oceanography Centre, the Total Foundation and Merton College – University of Oxford provided additional support. The Yelkouan shearwater project was funded by the French Biodiversity Agency for Marine Protected Areas within the ‘Programme PACOMM, Natura2000 en mer’. MG is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science (CGL2017-85210).

Renicolids are parasites that inhabit the renal tubules and ureters of molluscivorous and piscivorous birds. Puffinus puffinus is a migratory seabird that was identified as the definitive host of Renicola spp. Studies focusing on the renicolid species and the resulting renal lesions are valuable for their association with causes of stranding in seabirds. The aim of this study was to identify the renicolid trematodes and evaluate the histological findings in two P. puffinus stranded on the coast of Paraná state, Brazil. The parasites were evaluated by histologic, ultrastructural and molecular assays, while tissue changes were analyzed by histologic methods. The morphological and morphometrical characteristics of the parasites, along with polymerase chain reaction and sequencing assays (ribosomal and mitochondrial regions), identified the species as Renicola sloanei. The results also suggest that this helminth can be the adult form of Cercaria pythionike. The dilation of collecting ducts was the main histological finding in the kidneys. In conclusion, R. sloanei was identified, and for the first time, P. puffinus was described as a host of this digenean inducing mild renal changes. Resumo Renicolídeos são parasitos que habitam túbulos renais e ureteres de aves que se alimentam de moluscos e peixes. Puffinus puffinus, ave marinha migratória, foi registrada como hospedeiro definitivo de Renicola spp. Estudos relacionados com as espécies de renicolídeos e as lesões renais resultantes são importantes para o entendimento das causas de óbito de aves marinhas. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os trematódeos renicolídeos e avaliar os achados histológicos em dois P. puffinus encalhados no litoral do Estado do Paraná, Brasil. Os parasitos foram avaliados por ensaios histológicos, ultraestruturais e moleculares, enquanto as alterações teciduais foram analisadas por métodos histológicos. As características morfológicas e morfométricas dos parasitos, juntamente com a reação em cadeia da polimerase e sequenciamento (regiões ribossomal e mitocondrial), identificaram a espécie como Renicola sloanei. Os resultados também sugerem que este helminto pode ser a forma adulta de Cercaria pythionike. A dilatação dos ductos coletores foi o principal achado histológico renal. Em conclusão, R. sloanei foi identificado, e pela primeira vez P. puffinus foi descrito como hospedeiro deste digenético induzindo alterações renais discretas.

Os shearwaters, petréis de pequeno e médio porte, são espécies de aves marinhas de hábito pelágico, e estão entre os grupos mais diversificados de Procellariiformes. A família Procellariidae, altamente especializada no ambiente marinho, inclui, entre outros, os gêneros Calonectris, Ardenna e Puffinus (sensu stricto), cuja sistemática é particularmente complexa. Apesar das primeiras classificações gradistas, todas as hipóteses atualmente disponíveis das relações filogenéticas para este grupo são baseadas na mesma evidência molecular, i.e., citocromo b de DNA mitocondrial. Este trabalho apresenta a primeira hipótese filogenética baseada na evidência morfológica, a partir da análise de 104 caracteres osteológicos (23 contínuos e 81 discretos). Foram analisadas 20 espécies viventes de shearwaters, representando 62,5% de todas as espécies atualmente reconhecidas. A hipótese final aqui apresentada é o consenso estrito das árvores mais estáveis produzidas pela análise de parcimônia com pesagem implícita. Calonectris foi recuperado como monofilético (RBS = 75), apresentando a seguinte topologia (C. edwardsii (C. leucomelas (C. diomedea + C. borealis))). Todas as outras espécies foram incluídas em um único clado bem suportado (RBS = 76), Puffinus (sensu lato), com as seguintes relações: (Ardenna pacifica (A. bulleri (A. creatopus (A. carneipes (A. gravis ((A. grisea + A. tenuirostris) (Puffinus nativitatis (P. puffinus (P. mauretanicus (P. opisthomelas (P. gavia (P. huttoni (P. yelkouan (P. lherminieri + P. assimilis)))))))))))))). O monofiletismo de Ardenna, como sugerido por todas as hipóteses baseadas na evidência molecular, não foi recuperado. A hipótese final, de apenas dois gêneros irmãos para os shearwaters, é consistente com classificações anteriores baseadas na evidência osteológica e com algumas análises moleculares. Shearwaters are small to medium-sized, pelagic seabirds, and are among the most diverse group of Procellariiformes. Procellariidae, an assemblage that have become highly successful and specialized in the marine environment, includes, among others, genera Calonectris, Ardenna and Puffinus (sensu stricto), which systematics is particularly complex. Despite earlier classifications, all available hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships for this group are based on the same molecular evidence, i.e., mtDNA cytochrome b gene. Here we present the first morphology-based phylogenetic hypothesis for the group, using 104 osteological characters (23 continuous and 81 discrete) scored for 20 extant species of shearwaters, representing 62.5% of all species currently recognized. Both equally and implied weighting were used for phylogenetic analyses, and the final hypothesis presented herein is the strict consensus of the most stable trees produced by the latter. Calonectris was recovered as monophyletic (RBS = 75), with the topology (C. edwardsii (C. leucomelas (C. diomedea + C. borealis))). All other members of shearwaters were included in a single, well-supported monophyletic grouping (RBS = 76)): Puffinus (sensu lato), which reads (Ardenna pacifica (A. bulleri (A. creatopus (A. carneipes (A. gravis ((A. grisea + A. tenuirostris) (Puffinus nativitatis (P. puffinus (P. mauretanicus (P. opisthomelas (P. gavia (P. huttoni (P. yelkouan (P. lherminieri + P. assimilis)))))))))))))). The monophyly of Ardenna, as suggested by all molecular-based hypotheses, was not recovered. Instead, its members appeared within the larger Puffinus (sensu lato). The final hypothesis, of only two sister genera for the shearwaters, is consistent with earlier classifications based on osteological evidence, and with some molecular analyses.

Sampling approaches used to census and monitor populations of flora and fauna are diverse, ranging from simple random sampling to complex hierarchal stratified designs. Usually the approach taken is determined by the spatial and temporal distribution of the study population, along with other characteristics of the focal species. Long-term monitoring programs used to assess seabird population trends are facilitated by their high site fidelity, but are often hampered by large and difficult to access colonies, with highly variable densities that require intensive survey. We aimed to determine the sampling effort required to (a) estimate population size with a high degree of confidence, and (b) detect different scenarios of population change in a regionally important species in the Atlantic, the Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus). Analyses were carried out using data collected from tape-playback surveys on four islands in the North Atlantic. To explore how sampling effort influenced confidence around abundance estimates, we used the heuristic approach of imagining the areas sampled represented the total population, and bootstrapped varying proportions of subsamples. This revealed that abundance estimates vary dramatically when less than half of all plots (n dependent on the size of the site) is randomly subsampled, leading to an unacceptable lack of confidence in population estimates. Confidence is substantially improved using a multi-stage stratified approach based on previous information on distribution in the colonies. In reality, this could lead to reducing the number of plots required by up to 80%. Furthermore, power analyses suggested that random selection of monitoring plots using a matched pairs approach generates little power to detect overall population changes of 10%, and density-dependent changes as large as 50%, because variation in density between plots is so high. Current monitoring programs have a high probability of failing to detect population-level changes due to inappropriate sampling efforts. Focusing sampling in areas of high density with low plot to plot variance dramatically increases the power to detect year to year population change, albeit at the risk of not detecting increases in low density areas, which may be an unavoidable strategy when resources are limited. We discuss how challenging populations with similar features to seabirds might be censused and monitored most effectively.

The global phylogenetic relationships of the extinct Scarlett’s Shearwater (Puffinus spelaeus) from New Zealand are examined using ancient DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. The cytochrome b sequences obtained confirm the distinctiveness of this taxon. It forms a strongly-supported clade with two other New Zealand species, suggesting a radiation of similar-sized species in this region. Molecular dating suggests Pleistocene divergences within this clade.

The ingestion of plastic by seabirds has been used as an indicator of pollution in the marine environment. On Kaua'i, HI, USA, 50.0 % of Newell's (Puffinus newelli) and 76.9 % of wedge-tailed shearwater (Ardenna pacifica) fledglings necropsied during 2007-2014 contained plastic items in their digestive tract, while 42.1 % of adult wedge-tailed shearwaters had ingested plastic. For both species, the frequency of plastic ingestion has increased since the 1980s with some evidence that the mass and the number of items ingested per bird have also increased. The color of plastic ingested by the shearwaters was assessed relative to beach-washed plastics by using Jaccard's index (where J = 1 complete similarity). The color (J = 0.65-0.68) of items ingested by both species, and the type ingested by wedge-tailed shearwaters (J = 0.85-0.87), overlapped with plastic available in the local environment indicating moderate selection for plastic color and type. This study has shown that the Hawaiian populations of shearwaters, like many seabird species, provide useful but worrying insights into plastic pollution and the health of our oceans.

Cryptic species are often difficult to count and thus protect. Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) is a cryptic seabird that has disappeared from many colonies, but knowledge of the population's status is incomplete. This paper reviews the survey methods in detail and assesses the status. This species nests or once nested on at least 154 islands in the Caribbean and remains on 137 today, with most habitat just above sea level. Remaining colonies represent 1% of the former breeding area and are remote, with 98 sites lacking any estimate of density. In 16 plots searched on multiple nights using playback, the probability of detection of defended nests was 79 ± 5% (57 of 72 defended nests) in a single night of searching. Pairs were attempting to breed in 54 ± 6% (39 of 72) of defended nests. Average densities, adjusted for missed detections, ranged from 0.6 to 246 defended nests ha−1 (n = 21 colonies, median = 18.5 ha−1, area-weighted mean = 104 ha−1). Using the best data from every colony, a...

This study presents the first data on trace element and organic pollutant concentrations in the Critically Endangered Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus collected in 2010 and 2011 in Portugal. Trace element levels were below the threshold levels for adverse effects on birds, despite the Hg concentrations in feathers (4.35μg·g-1ww). No significant differences were detected between individuals from 2010 and 2011 except for Se concentrations in liver, feathers and muscle (higher in 2010) and Ag in liver and muscle (higher in 2011). No significant differences were detected in total concentrations of organochlorine compounds in Balearic shearwaters between years, although PCB congeners -101 and -180 presented higher concentrations in individuals from 2010. The PCB congeners -138, -153 and -180, and 4.4-DDE were detected in all individuals. This study on toxic elements and organic pollutants in wintering Balearic shearwaters provides baseline data from which deviations can be detected in the future.

Small-scale environmental characteristics associated with nesting burrows of the Newell's Shearwater (Puffinus newelli) and Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) were documented in mesic and wet montane forest on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Most plots containing burrows were located on steep slopes, ranging from 28° to 48° (median = 39°) for the Newell's Shearwater and 0° to 67° (median = 34.5°) for the Hawaiian Petrel. Plots generally contained > 20% to 40% up to > 80% to 100% estimated vegetation cover 0–1 m above ground and > 0% to 20% up to > 60% to 80% cover 1–2 m above ground. Plots were also associated with estimated canopy cover from > 0% to 10% up to > 80% to 90% for the Newell's Shearwater and 0% up to > 70% to 80% for the Hawaiian Petrel. Soil in Newell's Shearwater plots tended to be harder 7.62–22.86 cm below ground, which might provide increased burrow stability. Additionally, maximum vegetation height tended to be greater above Newell's Shearwater plots (median = 6.00 m...

Sea ice now forms later and melts earlier than it did 4 decades years ago, and it now melts completely in all parts of the Chukchi Sea. This decline in sea ice is expected to have repercussions on the trophic structure in this environment, and there are indications that changes already have taken place in the seabird community. We compared boat-based densities of seabirds in the eastern Chukchi Sea between July and October during 1975–1981 (historical data) with densities during 2007–2012 (recent data). We related the composition of the seabird community to sea-ice cover to explore how the community may be responding to changes in oceanography. The seabird community historically was composed predominantly of piscivorous Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and murres (Uria spp.). In contrast, the seabird community now is composed predominantly of planktivorous seabirds such as Crested Auklets (Aethia cristatella) and Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris). Total abundance of seabirds declined in three of four strata in the eastern Chukchi Sea, largely due to declines in densities of piscivorous and omnivorous species. These changes in the abundance and community composition of seabirds were associated with changes in ice cover. Earlier ice retreat appears to contribute to an environment that is more favorable to the sustained production of large oceanic copepods and euphausiids. We propose that long-term changes (4 decades) in the abundance and composition of the seabird community reflect an increase in the availability of large zooplankton prey in the region.

The effects of the fishing industry on the marine environment have been studied and described over the past two decades. Trawl-netting is a common but non-selective method of fishing that often captures non-target specimens of no commercial value that are discarded at sea. We discovered an unreported threat caused by fisheries discards on seabirds attending fishing activities in Brazilian waters: choking by feeding on discarded Atlantic Midshipman (Porichthys porosissimus). Over 6 years of monitoring (2007–13), we recorded five procellariiform species – Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos), Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea), Great Shearwater (Ardenna gravis) and Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) – dead on beaches with Atlantic Midshipman stuck in their throats and showing evidence of death by suffocation as a result of blockage of the airways through choking. This phenomenon has not been consistently described, and the consequences of the consumption of fishery discards by seabirds in Brazilian waters remain poorly understood.

Mutton birds ( Puffinus griseus ) are wild seabird chicks traditionally harvested by Maori but available commercially for seasonal consumption in New Zealand. Little information is available on the nutritional content of the meat from these birds. Proximate analysis and amino and fatty acid composition of Mutton bird breast meat (MBBM) were measured over two harvesting seasons, 2007 and 2008. Protein content was lower, and fat and ash contents were higher ( P

This study reports the case of a Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) that died from avian malaria while under care at a rehabilitation center in Espirito Santo, Brazil. The bird was rescued on October 2018, and remained under care until it died suddenly on January 2019. A blood smear produced 8 days before death was negative for parasites, whereas a blood smear produced post-mortem revealed a high parasitemia by a parasite resembling Plasmodium cathemerium. The sequence of a 412 bp segment of the cyt-b gene was identical to that of lineage PADOM09, and phylogenetic analysis corroborated that this parasite was closely-related to known lineages of P. cathemerium. The acuteness and severity of the infection documented in this case suggest that seabirds of the order Procellariiformes might be highly susceptible to Plasmodium infections, raising the concern that avian malaria may present a significant threat to their conservation.

Offshore islands are ideal for establishing insurance populations of endangered species as they often lack threatening processes found on mainlands. However, introductions of endangered predators can have complex effects on island species. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) was introduced to Maria Island in Tasmania, Australia in 2012 to establish an insurance population separate from a novel disease causing declines throughout its native range. Maria Island has small breeding colonies of the short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris) that are preyed on by an invasive mesopredator (feral cat, Felis catus) and an introduced native omnivore (common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula). We tested whether the introduction of devils increased predation pressure on shearwaters or reduced it by suppressing cat and possum activity. We measured predator activity on shearwater colonies, and surveyed burrow occupancy of shearwater adults and chicks, from 2013 to 2016; we also monitored shearwaters at a colony on a nearby island without terrestrial predators for comparison. Increasing devil activity was associated with decreasing total predator activity at shearwater colonies on Maria Island due to declines in possum and cat activity, evidently caused by predation on possums by devils, and competition with cats. However, shearwater colonies continued to decline, reaching zero occupancy within four years of devil introduction. Because of their larger size and ability to dig, devils had greater impacts on nesting shearwaters than either cats or possums. Conservation translocations of endangered predators must consider trade-offs between their protection and potential impacts on non-threatened native prey species.

The Galapagos shearwater, Puffinus subalaris, is a seabird endemic to the Galapagos archipelago. Hematology, blood chemistry, and general health parameters have not been published for this species. Analyses were run on blood samples drawn from 20 clinically healthy Galapagos shearwaters captured by hand at their nests at Islote Pitt on San Cristobal Island in July 2016. A portable blood analyzer (iSTAT) was used to obtain near immediate field results for pH, pO2, pCO2, TCO2, HCO3–, hematocrit, hemoglobin, sodium, potassium, chloride, ionized calcium, creatinine, urea nitrogen, anion gap, and glucose. Blood lactate was measured using a portable Lactate Plus analyzer. The reported results provide baseline data that can be used for comparisons among populations and in detecting changes in health status among Galapagos shearwaters.

Understanding links between habitat characteristics and foraging efficiency helps predict how environmental changes influence populations of top predators. This study examines whether measurements of prey (clupeids) availability varied over stratification gradients, and determined if any of those measurements coincided with aggregations of foraging seabirds (common guillemot Uria aalge and Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus ) in the Celtic Sea, UK. The probability of encountering foraging seabirds was highest around fronts between mixed and stratified water. Prey were denser and shallower in mixed water, whilst encounters with prey were most frequent in stratified water. Therefore, no single measurement of increased prey availability coincided with the location of fronts. However, when considered in combination, overall prey availability was highest in these areas. These results show that top predators may select foraging habitats by trading-off several measurements of prey availability. By showing that top predators select areas where prey switch between behaviours, these results also identify a mechanism that could explain the wider importance of edge habitats for these taxa. As offshore developments (e.g. marine renewable energy installations) change patterns of stratification, their construction may have consequences on the foraging efficiency of seabirds.

International audience; Mitochondrial genetic markers have been extensively used to study the phylogenetics and phylogeography of many birds, including seabirds of the order Procellariiformes. Evidence suggests that part of the mitochondrial genome of Procellariiformes, especially albatrosses, is duplicated, but no DNA fragment covering the entire duplication has been sequenced. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of a non-albatross species of Procellariiformes, Puffinus lherminieri (Audubon’s shearwater) using the long-read MinION (ONT) technology. Two mitogenomes were assembled from the same individual, differing by 52 SNPs and in length. The shorter was 19 kb long while the longer was 21 kb, due to the presence of two identical copies of nad6, three tRNA, and two dissimilar copies of the control region (CR). Contrary to albatrosses, cob was not duplicated. We further detected a complex repeated region of undetermined length between the CR and 12S. Long-read sequencing suggests heteroplasmy and a novel arrangement within the duplicated region, indicating a complex evolution of the mitogenome in Procellariiformes.

Acuariidae nematodes are normally found in the digestive tract of aquatic birds, including Procellariiformes. Were examined Calonectris borealis (n = 4), Diomedea exulans (n = 1), Macronectes giganteus (n = 8), Thalassarche chlororhynchos (n = 5), Thalassarche melanophrys (n = 15), Procellaria aequinoctialis (n = 4), Puffinus gravis (n = 2) and Puffinus puffinus (n = 6), collected on the southern coast of RS, Brazil. A total of 16 birds (35.5%) were parasitized by two species of Acuariidae. Stegophorus diomedeae and Seuratia shipleyi were identified, with prevalences of 26.1% and 21.7%, respectively. Few studies on nematodes in Procellariiformes have been conducted. Here, the acuariids Seuratia shipleyi in Calonectris borealis and Procellaria aequinoctialis and Stegophorus diomedeae in Diomedea exulans, Procellaria aequinoctialis and Thalassarche chlororhynchos were reported for the first time. Resumo Os nematoides Acuariidae são normalmente encontrados no trato digestivo de aves aquáticas, incluindo os Procellariiformes. Foram examinadas Calonectris borealis (n=4), Diomedea exulans (n=1), Macronectes giganteus (n=8), Thalassarche chlororhynchos (n=5), Thalassarche melanophrys (n=15), Procellaria aequinoctialis (n=4), Puffinus gravis (n=2) e Puffinus puffinus (n=6), coletados na costa sul do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Dentre os exemplares examinados, 16 (35,5%) estavam parasitados por duas espécies de Acuariidae. Foram identificados Stegophorus diomedeae e Seuratia shipleyi, com prevalência de 26,1% e 21,7%, respectivamente. Existem poucos estudos relacionados a nematoides em Procellariiformes, e aqui registra-se pela primeira vez os Acuariidae Seuratia shipleyi em Calonectris borealis e Procellaria aequinoctialis, e Stegophorus diomedeae em Diomedea exulans, Procellaria aequinoctialis e Thalassarche chlororhynchos.

Previous work has shown that sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) harvest data are able to predict shifts in the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) by approximately 4–14 months. In this study, the mechanisms of this relationship are examined. The oceanographic regions in our study area that best explain variation in SOI from 1 to 12 months after peak shearwater chick size were Southeast of New Zealand along the Polar and sub-Antarctic fronts and in the southern regions of the sub-Antarctic water zone. Spearman correlations of oceanographic parameters show that within the sub-Antarctic water and core foraging areas of sooty shearwaters, positive significant relationships exist between SOI and wind speed, significant wave height charnock parameter, and chick size. A model that combined the significant parameters from both offshore regions and the nearshore foraging area of sooty shearwaters, had a Pearson’s correlation of r > 0.8 for SOI values from 0 to 14 months after peak chick size. A combination of parameters and regions best explain the variation in the SOI data, however the most important variables are those that represent general turbulence in the sub-Antarctic water and Polar front regions (i.e., wind speed, and significant wave height). Using seabirds as an indicator of upcoming climate events could lead modelers to regions of importance for the formation of El Nino events, and highlights the importance of integrating ecological signals into climate models.

It has been observed that the avifauna has not been given proper attention with particular reference to the subspecies level. Thereby, an attempt has been extended to review the taxonomical status of the class Aves. The order Gaviiforms, family Gaviidae, genus Gavia which viz., only species Gavia stellata with subspecies G.s. stellata representing from Pakistan. However, in order Podicipediforms, family Podicipedidae includes two genera, which are Tachybaptus and Podiceps which represents five species T. ruficollis, P. cristatus, P. grisegena, P. auritus and P. nigricollis with five subspecies T.r.capensis, P.c.cristatus, P.g.grisegena, P.a.auritus and P.n.nigricollis. Secondly, order Procellariiforms, have two families Procellariidae and Hydrobatidae, where family Procellariidae contains two genera Puffinus and Bulweria. These two genera have four species P. tenuirostris, P. iherminieri and B. fallax with three subspecies P.t.tenuirostris, P.i.iherminieri, and B.f.fallax. Thirdly, family Hydrobatidae representing genus Oceanites has one species O. oceanicus with subspecies O.o.oceanicus from Pakistan. Whereas, order Pelecaniforms, contains five families Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Sulidae and Phaethontidae. Out of which, one family Pelecanidae, with genus Pelecanus, representing three species P. onocrotalus, P. philippensis, P. crispus along with three subspecies P.o.onocrotalus, P.p.philippensis, P.c.crispus from Pakistan. The study revealed that the above families represent thirteen species overall, with thirteen subspecies, where, three are vagrant, one migrant, one resident, one winter visitors, one summer vaster, one common, two recorded, two breeders and one Rare in Pakistan.

The Cay Sal Bank in The Bahamas is one of the Caribbean region's most important areas for breeding seabirds, but the colonies previously lacked solid estimates. This paper describes results of four visits between 2010 and 2012. The Santaren Channel, used to transit to and from Cay Sal Bank, contained high numbers (6.1 ± 0.4 birds per km2) of seabirds. The Cay Say Bank has at least 117 detectable islands with 484 ha of land area; the most numerous colony was at Elbow Cay (23 ha). Audubon's Shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri) were breeding at 97 pairs per ha (total: 2,200; 95% CI = 1,650–2,800 pairs), Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) at 382 pairs per ha (total: 8,800; 95% CI = 6,900–10,700 pairs), Bridled Terns (Onychoprion anaethetus) at 38 pairs per km coastline (5,829 m coastline; total: 220; 95% CI = 145–295 pairs) and Brown Noddies (Anous stolidus) at 72 pairs per ha (total: 1,609; 95% CI = 1,070–2,250 pairs). The population of Audubon's Shearwaters is among the largest in the world while po...

Changes in oceanographic conditions, shaped by changes in large-scale atmospheric phenomena such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), alters the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. Such signals are readily captured by marine top predators, given that their use of foraging habitats and diets change when the NAO changes. In this study we assessed sexual, seasonal and annual (2010/11–2012/13) differences in diet, trophic and isotopic niche (using δ15N and δ13C values of whole blood, 1st primary, 8th secondary and breast feathers), foraging locations and oceanographic variation within foraging areas for Macaronesian shearwaters' (Puffinus baroli) during two years of contrasting NAO values, and between two sub-tropical islands 330 km apart in the North Atlantic Ocean, Cima Islet and Selvagem Grande. These two locations provide contrasting oceanographic foraging regimes for the birds, because the second colony is much closer to the African coast (375 vs 650 km), and, therefore, to the upwelling area of the Canary Current. There was a marked environmental perturbation in 2010/2011, related with a negative NAO Index and lower marine productivity (lower concentration of Chlorophyll a). This event corresponded to the Macaronesian shearwaters feeding farther north and west, which was readily seen in change of both δ15N and δ13C values, and in a higher intake of cephalopods. Diet and stable isotopes did not differ between sexes. Regurgitation analysis indicate a dominance of cephalopods in both islands, but prey fish were important for Selvagem Grande in 2012 and cephalopods for Cima Islet in 2011. Both δ15N and δ13C values were significantly higher for Cima Islet than for Selvagem Grande, irrespective of year, season and tissue sampled. SIBER analysis showed smaller isotopic niches for the breeding period. Our study suggests that during years of poor environmental conditions Macaronesian shearwaters shift their foraging location to more pelagic waters, take more cephalopods and overall present a narrower isotopic niche.

The island of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i has several remaining populations of endangered, endemic Hawaiian petrels (Pterodroma sandwichensis) and Newell's shearwaters (Puffinus newelli) that would be threatened by the presence of predatory mongooses (Herpestes javanicus). Despite over 200 putative sightings, 1 road-kill and 2 recent captures, it is not clear if mongooses have actually become established on Kaua‘i. Comparing road transects on three Hawaiian islands, we found mongooses present on O‘ahu and Maui where they are known to occur and no evidence of significant populations on Kaua‘i. Three population scenarios are presented that would account for the three specimens, the past sightings, and the absence of sightings on our transects on Kaua‘i.

Identifying the overlap of commercial fishing grounds and seabird habitat can suggest areas of high bycatch risk and inform management and mitigation measures. We used Bayesian state space modeling to describe the movements of 10 satellite-tagged Great Shearwaters and a bivariate kernel density technique to investigate spatial overlap with commercial fishing effort to predict areas of high bycatch in the Gulf of Maine. We then used contemporaneous fishery observer data to test the validity of our predictions, highlighting an area constituting 1% of the Gulf of Maine as having the highest bycatch risk that accounted for 50% of observed takes. Fishery observer data also provided insights into characteristics of the seabird-fishery interactions. Our results indicate that a relatively small number of satellite-tagged seabirds, when combined with fishery-dependent data, can lead to identifying high-bycatch areas, particular fishing practices that might increase risk, and fishing communities that could be targeted for education/mitigation.

We measured mercury concentrations ([Hg]) and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (delta N-15) in the primary feathers of Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) that were tracked year-round. The [Hg] were highest in 14 birds that used the Okhotsk and northern Japan Seas during the non-breeding period (2.5 +/- A 1.4 mu g/g), lowest in nine birds that used the eastern Bering Sea (0.8 +/- A 0.2 mu g/g), and intermediate in five birds that used both regions (1.0 +/- A 0.5 mu g/g), with no effects of delta N-15. The results illustrate that samples from seabirds can provide a useful means of monitoring pollution at a large spatial scale.

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.

Shearwaters are ideal for monitoring ocean conditions in the California Current because these predators are abundant, conspicuous, and responsive to oceanographic variability. Herein we evaluated black-vented ( Puffinus opisthomelas ), Buller's ( P. bulleri ), flesh-footed ( P. carneipes ), pink-footed ( P. creatopus ), short-tailed ( P. tenuirostris ), and sooty ( P. griseus ) shearwaters as fishery-independent indicators of predatory or prey fish availability. We analyzed four years (1996, 2001, 2005, 2008) of monthly (August–November) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seabird surveys, and United States Geological Survey Pacific Coast Fisheries Database catch, from the California coast to 200 nm offshore. An ordination of shearwater abundance and fish catch revealed that the shearwaters and 11 fish/squid species were significantly correlated with one or more of three principal components, which explained 86% of the variation and revealed distinct species assemblages. We evaluated multiple linear regression models for 19 fisheries using five shearwater metrics: density, aggregation, and behavior (traveling, stationary, feeding), three oceanographic indices, and latitude. Eight of these models had a shearwater metric as the primary predictor. In particular, feeding black-vented shearwater abundance explained 75% of dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ) longline catch. This research illustrates the utility of shearwaters as ecosystem indicators, with direct application for predicting fishery catch of commercial importance.

Seabird bycatch in commercial fisheries has been a growing conservation concern over the past 25 years. Large-scale fisheries employing gears known to incidentally catch seabirds operate off eastern Canada, however, regional bycatch information is limited. Using data collected from 1998–2011 by observers onboard Canadian domestic and foreign vessels, fishery sectors and target fisheries taking seabirds were identified, as were the seabirds most frequently taken. In addition, maps of seabird bycatch rates were used to identify localized areas where catch rates were high. Seabird bycatch was widespread. Despite generally low observer coverage, > 5000 bird deaths were recorded; most observed mortalities occurred in gillnet and longline sectors during summer and autumn. While the overall magnitude of seabird bycatch has likely decreased substantially since closure of the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua and Atlantic salmon Salmo salar gillnet fisheries in 1992, localized areas with high bycatch rates persist. For example, in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, bycatch rates of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis were high in gillnet and longline fisheries targeting Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides near breeding colonies. In offshore areas of the Grand Bank, catch rates of migrant shearwaters (Puffinus and Calonectris spp.) were high in deep-set gillnet fisheries for Greenland halibut and monkfish Lophius americanus during summer. In inshore regions of eastern Newfoundland, gillnets set for Atlantic cod near breeding colonies resulted in high bycatch rates of murres Uria spp. and shearwaters during summer. High bycatch rates were also observed in pelagic longline fisheries along the Scotian Shelf. While the observer data have highlighted several localized areas with high bycatch rates, information for inshore gillnet fisheries, which take seabirds but are poorly covered by the observer programme, and regional information on fishing effort must both be considered for comprehensive assessment of seabird risk areas and consequent management needs in eastern Canada. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Townsend’s Shearwater (Puffinus auricularis auricularis) is a highly threatened bird and currently breeds on Socorro and Clarion Islands, Mexico. This subspecies has minor differences in plumage patterns when compared to Newell’s Shearwater of Hawaii (USA) (Puffinus auricularis newelli). These two forms are recognized as subspecies by the American Ornithologist’s Union. However, some authors consider them as distinct species based on subtle plumage differences and different breeding chronologies. We used Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods to compare the cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I sequences from Townsend’s Shearwaters with archived mitochondrial sequences from other taxa in the genus Puffinus. Townsend’s and Newell’s Shearwaters show little genetic differentiation; hence, there is no justification to consider them as different species. Additionally, differences in morphology and ecology might be the result of founder effects and phenotypic plasticity; proven migratory potential provides support to the current taxonomic assessment that considers these birds as conspecifics. We recommend the continued treatment of Townsend’s and Newell’s Shearwaters as two subspecies of P. auricularis. We also advocate treating the Rapa Shearwater (P. myrtae) as a distinct species.

Within breath-hold diving endotherms, procellariiform seabirds present an intriguing anomaly as they regularly dive to depths not predicted by allometric models. How this is achieved is not known as even basic measures of physiological diving capacity have not been undertaken in this group. To remedy this we combined time depth recorder (TDR) measurements of dive behaviour with haematology and oxygen store estimates for 3 procellariiform species (common diving petrels Pelecanoides urinatrix urinatrix; grey-faced petrels Pterodroma macro ptera gouldi; and sooty shearwaters Puffinus griseus) during their incubation phase. Among species, we found distinct differences in dive depth (average and maximal), dive duration and dives h �1 , with sooty shearwaters diving deeper and for longer than grey-faced petrels and common diving petrels. Conversely, common diving petrels dove much more frequently, albeit to shallow depths, whereas grey-faced petrels rarely dived whatsoever. Such differences in dive behaviour were reflected in haematological parameters, with sooty shearwaters having higher red blood cell counts and haematocrit (Hct) values compared to common diving and grey-faced petrels; whereas common diving petrels had significantly lower Hct but possessed higher haemoglobin concentrations per cell and greater respiratory oxygen stores than both sooty shearwaters and grey-faced petrels. Such results provide the first insights into the physiological traits underpinning procellariiform dive behaviour, and confirm the trend for deep-diving seabirds to have proportionally lower blood and respiratory oxygen stores than shallow divers.