parkinsonFirstRecordforof the Parkinson's Continental Petrel United(Procell States i RICHST,•LLCUP ß PRBOCONSERVATION SCIENCE ß4990 SHORELINEHIGHWAY ß STINSON BEACH, CALIFORNIA 94970 ß EMAIL:[email protected] ERICW. PRESTONß 98 WHITNEYSTREET ß SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94131 ß EMAIL:[email protected]
Abstract Powers,who has collaboratedwith Stallcup speciesof interest,notably Light-mantled Al- Thispaper details a recordof Parkinson•Pe- since1988 on pelagicbirding trips. This was batross(Phoebett•a palpebrata), Shy Albatross trel (Procellariaparkinsoni), also known as the thirtieth such trip of this group since (Thalassarchecauta), Galapagos/Hawaiian Pe- BlackPetrel, on 1 October2005 at 38ø 05.788' 1990.The course ran from Bodega Harbor to trel (P phaeopygia/sandwichensis),and Sooty N, 123ø 22.281' W, or 32.4 km (17.6 nmi) the 106-m(59-fathom) "spike" at the north Tern(Sternafuscata). northwestof the Point Reyesheadlands, endof CordellBank and beyond, off theedge Marin County,California in the CordellBank of the Continental Shelf to waters 1800 m or At 1418 PDST,[rom the upperlevel bow, National Marine Sanctuary..Although there more (1000+ fathoms)deep, then returning Stallcupspotted three birds on thewater at the have been prior potentialreports of this on an east-northeasterlycourse back toward edgeof a raftof detachedBull Kelp (Nereocys- speciesin continentalUnited States waters, BodegaBay (Figure 1). The conditionswere tis luetkeana)about 0.5 km from the boat;he all in California, this is the first to be conclu- favorablefor viewingbirds and othermarine askedthe captain to steer90 ø to port.to bring sivelydocumented for Californiaand the U.S. life, with light west-northwesterlybreezes the boat closer to the birds. From that dis- waters of the North Pacific Ocean. and swells of 1 m at intervals of ca. 14 sec. tance,it appearedmost likely the birds were a Encounters with birds and mammals over Pink-lootedShearwater (Puffinus creatopus), a Field Encounter thecourse of themorning and early afternoon Flesh-lootedShearwater (P carneipes),and a On l October2005, a groupof 20 birdersled wererelatively few comparedto pasttrips. In SootyShearwater (P griseus).As we neared by RichStallcup and co-organized by Ann De- the afternoon, however,the courseset to re- about150 m fromthe birds, Stallcup asked the wartdeparted Bodega Bay aboard the New Sea turn to theharbor would pass through waters captainto turn off the enginesand to drih Angler,a 20-mcharter boat captained by Rick that had in recentyears produced several silentlytoward the birds. a techniquethat
500 f thorns Bodega l.y Bodega on
arkinson's Petr;
Oct.3805.788 2005 2:15p.W12 2.281
C, , ell Bank Pt. Reyes 3 nm ighthou
Figure1. Courseof pelagictrip from Bodega Bay, California, 1 October 2005, with location of Parkinson's Peb'el. 6rapbit by Rid• Stallcup.
166 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS PARKINSON'SPETREL]
Field identification son 1987, Marchant and Higgins 1990, in the North Pacific Ocean, there are Heather and Robinson 1997). The underside severallarge, all-brown or mostlybrown of the primariesmay appear silvery gray in procellariidsthat might be confused direct light (Marchantand Higgins1990, uath eachother and potentiallywith Howell and Webb 1995; Figure2). Flesh- Parkinson's Petrel (see McKee and Ter- footed Shearwaterand dark-morphPink- rill 2004, Spearet al. 1992). However, footedShearwater by comparisonare less most of these birds are noticeably bulky,have a longer,thinner, pink-based bill, smallerand/or have a verydifferent bill a longer,less wedge-shaped tail, and pale, shapethan all theProcellaria petrels, in- pinkishlegs and feet (Figures 3, 4). Westland cludingSooty Shearwater, Short4ailed Petrelis a muchlarger bird thanParkinson's, Shearwater(Puffinus tenuirostris), dark- oftenas much as 20%larger (Figure 6), and morph Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus tendsto looksless slender in neck,body, and glacialis)--aswell as the rare and va- wings (Marchantand Higgins1990). Al- grantgadfly petrels to theeastern North thoughParkinson's is comparablein mor- Pacific,such as Great-wingedPetrel phometricsto Pink-lootedShearwater, it is (Pterodromamacroptera gouldi), dark- an obviouslybulkier bird to an experienced morph Herald Petrel (P heraldica), observer(Figure 4). In flight,Parkinson's of- Solander'sPetrel (P solandri), and Ker- ten showstoes projecting beyond the tail; madecPetrel (P neglecta),most of which Westlandshows little or no projectionof the areknown only from waters outside the toespast the tail tip (Figures2, 5). Compared Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z.) of to Parkinson's, Westland has a blockier thecontinental United States. Less likely (rather than rounded)head and a larger, candidates for confusion would be thickerbill, features that can be hard to judge Figure2. Parkinson'sPetrel, Cordall Bank National Marine Sanctuary, MarinCounty, California, 1October 2005. This image shows the color, smallerspecies such as Bulwer'sPetrel on a singlebird at sea(Figure 6); the two structure,and pattern of the bill, silvery appearance ofthe rerniges (Bulweria bulwerii), dark-morph speciesshare a similarbill pattern,with most whenseen from from below, and the dark legs and feet. Photograph Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus paci- horn-yellowish(sometimes with bluish or by¸ EricPreston. ficus cuneatus), or Christmas Shearwater (alongwith maintaining silence on thepublic (P nativitatus),all alsopri- addresssystem) had permitted very close ap- marilybirds of tropicalwa- proachto seabirdson pasttrips. The location ters beyond the E.E.Z. here was at 38ø 05.788' N, 123ø 22.281' W waters of the continental To Stallcup,the largerdark bird looked United States. "wrong"for Flesh-lootedShearwater; he Off California, then, ob- appearancenotedaloud and its its "big-headed, whitish(not thick-chested" pinkish)bill servers should concentrate on distinguishingFlesh- tones.He suggestedthat thosewith cameras footed Shearwater,as well getinto position on the starboardbow, in or- as the relativelyrare dark der to documentwhat appeared to be a Pro- morph of Pink-looted cellariapetrel. Over the nexttwo minutes,as Shearwater,from any po- the boatdrifted alongside and past the birds, tentialProcellaria petrel, of Stallcupnarrated field characters that would which there are an addi- supportthis tentativeidentification, includ- tional two mostly brown Figure3. Hesh-footedShearwater. Compared to Park•son's Petrel, Hesh-footed ing the bill'sdark tip and duskyculmen ex- speciesto consider:West- Shearwater(as well as dark-rnorph Pink-fouted Shearwater) has a thinner,longer, tendingto thenaricorns. As thebirds flushed, land Petrel (P westlandica) pink-basedbill and pale pinkish feet. HaurakiGulf, New Zealand; 6 December 2004. PhotographI•, ¸ EricPreston. the blacklegs and feetof the suspectedPro- and White-chinned Petrel cellariawere clearlyvisible, and Stallcup (P aequinoctalis).Though all five identified it at that time aloud as a Parkinson's species are mostly brown in Petrel(Procellaria parkinsoni), or BlackPetrel, plumage,the detailsof overallsize as it is called in Australia and New Zealand and structure, the distribution of (Heather and Robertson 1997). dark and light on the bill, and the The bird flew about 0.5 km and landed size and structure of the bill should nearanother kelp raft and a RhinocerosAuk- be sufficientto distinguishthe let (Ce•orhincamonocerata). The groupstud- species,given sufficient views. ied the bird again,in the samemanner, and Parkinson's Petrel is a somewhat once more a few minutes later. The encounter fulmar-likepetrel, about the sizeof lastedabout 16 minutes,until 1434 PDST.All a Pink-footed Shearwater,with a twentyparticipants on boardhad prolonged, thick, pale, horn-coloredbill that excellent studiesof the bird, and extensive hasa dark tip and duskyculmen, Figure4. Parkinson'sPetrel (left) and Pink-footed Shearwater in flight, photographicdocumentation was obtained and dark legsand feet (Harperand showingtheir similar sizes. Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Marin (Figures2, 4, 5, 8-10). Kinsky1974, Harrison 1983, Harri- County,California; ! October 2005. Photograph by¸ EricPreston.
VOLUME 60 (2006) - NUMBER 1 167 IPARKINSON'S PETREL
7). Some White-chinned Petrels do not show graphsin North AmericanBirds 59: 191; this feature (Falla 1937, Warham and Bell Glover et al. 2005). 1979,Warham 1996, Marchantand Higgins Duringthe past35 years,pelagic birding 1990), and so its absenceclearly does not tripsin the UnitedStates have helped to re- rule out White-chinned Petrel. Because size fine, evento redefineour understandingof and proportionscan be difficultto judgeat nearshoreavifaunas; species once thought to sea,reports of anyProcellaria in NorthAmer- be rareare now known to be regularvisitors. ica shouldbe accompaniedby noteson the The CordellBank National Marine Sanctuary bird'sproportions in direct comparisonto hasbegun to receiveattention from pelagic procellariidsnear it. birdersbecause of its highproductivity. It is essentiallyan underwater craggy granite ridge Discussion located 92 km (50 nmi) north-northwest of Parkinson's Petrels breed on Little Barrier and SanFrancisco and about 46 km (25 nmi) west GreatBarrier Islands, both of which are in the of the Point ReyesLighthouse in Marin Figure5. Parkinson'sPetrel, showing feet projecting Hauraki Gulf of the North Island of New County, California. Roughly elliptical in beyondthe tail tip. CordellBank National Marine Zealand.They formerly bred on both the main shape,its dimensionsmeasure about 16 x 7 Sanctuary,Marin County, California; I October 2005. north and south islands of New Zealand km (9 x 4 nmi) at the 90-m (50-fathom) con- Photographby¸ EricPreston. (Heather and Robertson 1997). The world tour.Its highest point lies only 36 m (20 fath- evengreenish tones) bill thatshow contrast- populationis estimatedat 10.000birds (Tay- oms) below the surfaceof the sea.Some 36.8 inggrayish black ungucs (both the maxillary lor 2000). As is true of manyprocellariids, km (20 toni) to the west of the ridge,the unguisand the mandibularunguis), culmcn Parkinson'sPetrel's breeding success has been depthfalls to 3600m (2000fathoms) and still saddle,and sulcus(Marchant and Higgins negativelyaffected by introducedmammals, deeperfarther offshore_ The Bankis persist- 1990). Whitc-chinnedPetrel. about the same includingcats. Also, as has been the case with entlyunder the influenceof an upwelling sizeas Westland(and thereforeappreciably many petrels,shearwaters, and albatrosses, plumethat originates off PointArena to the largerthan Parkinson's), almost always has a manyhave been caught and drowned by the north. In addition,the strong,southbound pale ungucsand almostalways shows--at long-linefishery (Birdlife International 2005). California Current, driven by prevailing closerange--white leathering at thebase of Afterthe breeding season, Parkinson's Petrels northwesterlywinds. encounters this three- the mandible(sometimes only in the interra- migrateto theeastern Pacific Ocean; their dis- kin-highsubmarine wall, whirlingadditional real space),i.e., the "ch•n"(compare Figure tribution at this time stretches from northern nutrientsand prey items (e.g., euphausiid Peru to southern Mexico shrimp;cephalopods; and juveniles, eggs, and (to about 20ø N) There is deadof severalspecies of rockfish[Sebastes some evidence that the spp.l) to the surface.This banquet of food specieshas a foragingre- makes Cordell Bank attractive to thousands of lationshipwith dolphins, seabirdsduring the summermonths and a especiallyMelon-headed havenfor largenumbers of cetaceans,partic- '- Whales (Peponocephalaularly of BlueWhale (Balaenoptera musculus) electra) and False Killer and HumpbackWhale (Megapteranovaean- Whales (Pseudorca crassi- gliae)over the fall and wintermonths. Be- dens)(Pitman and Balance cause the Cordel/ Bank concentrates such 1992). preyresources, it is not surprisingthat it has In North American wa- proven an excellentplace to find stray ters north of Mexico, seabirds such as the Parkinson's Petrel. thereis at leastone sight- ingof a probableParkin- Acknowledgments Figure6. WestlandPetrel, showing blocklet head and larger, thicker bill than Parkin- son's Petrel, about 43.2 The authors would like to thank Steve N. G. sonsPetrel. Kaikoura, New Zealand; 10 Decernber 2004. Photographby¸EricPreston. k,n (23.5 nmi) south- Howell for helpfulcomments, and Martin southwest of Southeast Farallon Island, San Francisco County,California on 7 June 1996. but this record was not acceptedby the California Bird Records Commmee, which, however, did agree unani- mouslythat the bird was a Pro- cellariapetrel, either Westland or Parkinson's (Rottenborn and Morlan 2000). More re- cently, a possiblejuvenile Parkinson'sPetrel was pho- Figure7. White-chinnedPetrel, showing ivory-tipped bill and white chin. Kaik- tographedoff BodegaBay, Figure8. Parkinson'sPetrel dorsal surface in flight.Cordell oura,New Zealand; 10 December 2004. Photograph by¸ EricPreston. SonomaCounty, California 11 BankNational Marine Sanctuary, Marin County, California; 1 October 2004 (color photo- October2005. Photo•lraph by¸ MartinMeyers.
168 HORTH AMERICAH BIRDS PARKIHSOH'SPETREL
Meyersand Ed Greavesfor their photo- America.Oxford University Press, Oxford. graphiccontributions. We also thank Ann Marchant,S., and P J. Higgins,eds. 1990. Dewartfor helpingto organizethese trips, Handbookof Australian,New Zealand, anti andCaptain Rick Powers for piloting the boat AntarcticBirds. Vol. 1: Ratitesto Ducks,Part soexpertly A: Ratitesto Petrels.Oxford University Press,Oxford. Literature cited McKee, B. T., and R. S. Terrill. 2004. Dark BirdLifeInternational. 2005. Species factsheet: shearxvaters in the northeast Pacific. Bird- Procellariaparkinsoni. Downloaded 2 Janu- ing36: 598-607. ary2006 from
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