Justification This species is classified as Critically Endangered because it estimated, given the paucity of recent records, that there is only a tiny population which is confined to a very small breeding area. Furthermore, it is assumed to be declining because of predation by cats, which may therefore threaten its long-term survival.

Family/Sub-family Procellariidae

Species name author (Gray, 1860)

Taxonomic source(s) Brooke (2004), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Synonyms Pterodroma macgillivrayi Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Pterodroma macgillivrayi Collar et al. (1994), Pterodroma macgillivrayi Collar and Andrew (1988)

Identification 30 cm. Small, dark gadfly petrel. Dark chocolate-brown all over, perhaps darker around face. Black bill, dark eye. Pale washed-out blue tarsi. Mostly black feet with pale blue patch on centre of inner web. Similar spp. Size and colour may cause confusion with Black Noddy Anous minutus and Brown Noddy A. stolidus, but it lacks white cap and has characteristic petrel flight. Difficult to distinguish from Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii which has buff-coloured wing-bars running diagonally across the upperwing surface and flies low over the sea. Hints May be seen in waters around Gau Island but believed to disperse to pelagic waters far from the island.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

<50

decreasing

154,000 km²

Yes

Range & population Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi was known from just one immature specimen collected in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji, but between 1984-2007 there were a total of 16 reports of grounded birds on Gau¹⁰. Most records relate to immature birds that have landed on the roofs of houses in Nawaikama or Nukuloa villages, a number of which have died, and several specimens have been obtained from these fatalities^2,7. The most recent record concerns a bird that landed in Levuka village in April 2007⁷. At sea, there have been 10 unconfirmed reports; a possible Fiji Petrel sighted c.400 km north of Bougainville Island in 2007 constituting the most recent^7,10. It may occur on other islands in the vicinity, e.g. Taveuni⁴. An at-sea expedition in Fijian waters in July 2008 failed to locate the species⁸, as did another voyage in July-August 2008 in the Bismarck archipelago between New Britain and New Ireland where individuals resembling P. macgillivrayi had been seen in previous years⁹, but further searches are planned, both at sea and on its potential breeding grounds.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It is likely to breed amongst large numbers of Collared Petrel Pterodroma brevipes in the rugged terrain of interior Gau (where over 70 km² of suitable forest exists up to 715 m)³.

Threats The servicing of a recently constructed telecommunications transmitter on the summit of Gau may facilitate the movement of feral cats and rats (Pacific rat Rattus exulans and brown rat R. norvegicus) to the breeding area², and thereby increase predation. Although P. brevipes seems to nest successfully (and its seasonal breeding in the first half of the year may swamp cat predation), it is possible that P. macgillivrayi has a more prolonged breeding season later in the year, and it could therefore suffer disproportionately³. Feral pigs have recently become established on the southern hinterland of Gau and they may represent a serious additional threat⁶.

Conservation measures underway The rarity and significance of this species has been promoted to local residents and it is featured on a Fijian bank note. It is protected under Fijian law. Repeated surveys in the 1980s attempting to find evidence of breeding failed and no further work was undertaken for 10 years. In 2003, a Recovery Plan for the Fiji Petrel was drawn up with the assistance of the National Parks and Wildlife Dept. of New South Wales. In 2004, the National Trust of Fiji initiated a year-long community awareness programme on the island in association with RARE. Also in 2004 the Trust, with BirdLife Fiji and the Wildlife Conservation Society, initiated a community-based project intended to attract petrels to an accessible location and thereby procure more information from grounded birds, together with an initiative to protect the Gau highlands where the petrel is believed to nest. Data from one petrel was collected⁵. Further surveys occurred in 2003-2004 but again these were unsuccessful. The most urgent priority remains locating the breeding grounds. As part of BirdLife's Preventing Extinctions programme Mareqeti Viti (Nature Fiji) have taken on the role of Species Guardian and are implementing the following actions: implementation of the Fiji Petrel Recovery Plan is ongoing; workshops are being planned to raise awareness of the proper handling techniques for grounded birds and to develop local expertise in the collection of scientific data following such incidents; specially trained 'wildlife search' dogs are currently being trained using feathers from a freshly dead specimen (with the first searches planned for July 2009); and a comprehensive scientific review of the Fiji Petrel and its conservation has been undertaken and recently published¹⁰.

Conservation measures proposed On Gau, conduct surveys employing petrel specialists and using spotlighting, radio-tracking and trained wildlife searching sniffer dogs^1,7. Develop local expertise to assist with, or carry out, surveys¹. Continue to raise awareness on Gau, and put in place a process for rapid alert to and acquisition of any ground birds⁷. Assess the breeding success and threats to P. brevipes. Survey seas off other suitable islands.

References 1. SPREP (2000). 2. Watling (2000). 3. Watling and Lewanavanua (1985). 4. D. Watling verbally (2000). 5. D. Watling in litt. (2005). 6. Priddel and Carlile (2004). 7. Priddel et al. (in prep.). 8. J Millett in litt. (2008). 9. Shirihai (2008). 10. BirdLife International (2008). 11. Priddel et al. (2008).

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

Species Guardian Action Update November 2008

Text account compilers Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International), Sue Shutes (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International), Helen Temple (BirdLife International)

Contributors Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), James Millet (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Dick Watling (Environment Consultants Fiji)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. 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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