Peruvian Diving-petrel (Pelecanoides garnotii)

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EN	Peruvian Diving-petrel Pelecanoides garnotii

2010 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Endangered

Justification This species has an extremely small occupied breeding range on four islands. All subpopulations are declining and some rapidly. It consequently qualifies as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Pelecanoididae

Species name author (Lesson, 1828)

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

Synonyms Pelecanoides garnoti Collar and Andrew (1988)

Identification 22 cm. Small plump, black-and-white petrel that flies low and fast on whirring wings. Mostly blackish above and dull white below, with white tips to scapulars forming pale stripe. Browner face and sides to neck. Dusky sides to breast. Similar spp. Magellanic Diving-petrel P. magellani has white fringes to upperpart feathers and characteristic white half-collar extending from throat behind eye to rear of crown.

Population estimate	Population trend	Range estimate (breeding/resident)	Country endemic?
25,000 - 28,000	decreasing	471,000 km²	No

Range & population Pelecanoides garnotii formerly bred on offshore islands from Isla Lobos de Tierra, Peru, to Isla Chiloé, Chile. It was numerous (e.g. c.100,000 pairs, and perhaps more, on Isla Chañaral, Chile, in 1938⁷), but has declined significantly. In Peru, there were c.12,000-13,000 pairs on San Gallán and La Vieja Islands in 1995-1996⁴. This is considerably higher than the c.1,500 individuals estimated in the early 1990s, probably because of improved information rather than an actual increase. Two small colonies were found on Corcovado Island, Peru in 2005, extending the current breeding distriubtion c.700 km north of La Vieja, its main breeding centre⁹. A colony may also be present again on the Lobos de Afuera Islands where two individuals were sighted in 2003 and 2004¹¹. In Chile, 220 nests were found on Isla Pan de Azúcar in the late 1980s, where 500+ were seen offshore in November 1993³, and 300 nests were reported on Isla Choros in the late 1980s, which had increased to an estimated 1,550 active nests in 2001-2003⁸. It has been recorded throughout the year near Isla Chañaral, and may still breed there or on small islands to the south⁷.

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

Ecology: It excavates deep burrows in thick guano for nesting, but may also burrow in sandy soils or use natural rock-crevices. Breeding has been recorded throughout the year^4,6, with least activity in November. There are two breeding periods, with some evidence that individual birds breed twice annually^2,4,6. In the non-breeding season, it occurs close to breeding islands in the rich upwelling waters of the Humboldt Current. In Peru, it feeds, even in heavily fished areas, on small crustaceans and small fish (mostly larvae)⁵. At La Vieja Island, Peru, Peruvian anchovy Engraulis ringens (33.9%), the small krill Euphausia mucronata (26.8%) and squat lobster Pleuroncodes monodon (24.3%) were the most important prey species¹⁰. High monthly variability in the main prey suggests an opportunistic feeding behaviour associated with prey avaliability¹⁰.

Threats Guano extraction is probably responsible for the massive historical declines. La Vieja is still harvested every 5-7 years, when the species is also exploited for food, but extraction and hunting are probably most significant on San Gallán¹. It has been extirpated by introduced predators on Chañaral (foxes)⁷, and probably San Lorenzo and El Frontón (rats and cats)⁵. There are dogs on San Gallán and possibly rats on the Chilean breeding islands. Such predators probably prevent recolonisations. Heavy commercial fishing reduces food availability and causes mortality through incidental bycatch. These threats magnify the detrimental effects of natural predation and the increasingly frequent El Niño Southern Oscillation. At Choros, fishermen hunted European rabbits Oryctolagus cunniculus, usually by chasing them, potentially damaging burrows⁸. Disturbance from tourism and illegal landings is a problem at Choros⁸.

Conservation measures underway All colonies are in reserves but only La Vieja has trained guards⁵. There have been searches for additional colonies in Chile⁷.

Conservation measures proposed Address the complex issue of guano extraction¹. Provide artificial burrows¹. Control predators on breeding islands. Survey islands close to Corcovado Island, Peru with similar characterisitics for breeding sites⁹. Establish permanent monitoring of the largest colony at La Vieja Island¹⁰.

References Collar et al. (1992). 1. M. de L. Brooke in litt. (1999). 2. M. de L. Brooke verbally (2000). 3. S. N. G. Howell in litt. (1999). 4. Jahncke and Goya (1998). 5. Jahncke et al. (1999). 6. Riveros-Salcedo and Jahncke Aparicio (1990). 7. Vilina (1992). 8. Simeone et al. (2003) 9. Valverde (2006). 10. García-Godos and Goya (2006). 11. Figueroa and Stucchi (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.

Fully detailed species account from the Threatened birds of the Americas: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 1992). Please note, taxonomic treatment and IUCN Red List category may have changed since publication.

Recuento detallado de la especie tomado del libro Aves Amenazadas de las Americas, Libro Rojo de BirdLife International (BirdLife International 1992). Nota: la taxonomoía y la categoría de la Lista Roja de la UICN pudo haber cambiado desde esta publicación.

Text account compilers Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Rob Calvert (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Rob P Clay (BirdLife International), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Tom Stuart (BirdLife International)

Contributors Michael Brooke (University of Cambridge), Steve Howell (Point Reyes Bird Observatory)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Rob Calvert (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Pelecanoides garnotii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010

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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