Family/Sub-family Hydrobatidae

Species name author (Salvin, 1883)

Taxonomic source(s) AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), Brooke (2004), SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

50,000

unset

478,000 km²

No

Range & population Oceanodroma markhami breeds on the Paracas peninsula, Peru, and additional colonies are likely on other islands and in the coastal desert of Peru and Chile^2,3. It occurs in tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, spending July-September (and possibly longer) in warm equatorial waters, and January-July in the cooler waters of the Peru Current⁴. Data on overall numbers, trends and threats are lacking, but a minimum of 2,305 pairs were present on the Paracas peninsula in 1992⁶.

Ecology: Birds on Paracas breed in small, dispersed colonies up to 5 km from the sea on sloping ground, usually where saltpetre deposits offer fissures and holes for nesting⁶. While Paracas birds fledge in November, grounded fledglings are mostly found near Iquique, Chile, in March-April¹. They feed opportunistically both inshore and offshore on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods⁵.

Threats Unknown.

Conservation measures underway None is known.

Conservation measures proposed Search for breeding colonies in Iquique region, Chile (especially around Salar Grande) between January-May, listening for adults flying near colonies at night and checking for active burrows during the day⁶. Monitor the colony at Paracas. Study its ecological requirements and threats.

References 1. M. L. de Brooke in litt. (2000). 2. Carboneras (1992c). 3. Clements (in prep.). 4. Pyle (1993). 5. Garcia-Godos et al. (2002). 6. Tobias et al. (2006).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International)

Contributors M. L de Brooke

IUCN Red List evaluators Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), David Wege (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Oceanodroma markhami. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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