Atlantic Petrel (Pterodroma incerta)
Also known as Schlegel's Petrel or Hooded
Close-up of an Atlantic Petrel (Pterodroma incerta). Photographed on 23 June 2001 off Brazil
(29 30'S, 45 01'W). Photograph copyright of Fabio Olmos©, 2000.
A large gadfly petrel, recognized by its
striking white breast and belly contrasting with the rest of the plumage
which is uniformly brown. Heavy bill..
Where and When
Classified as VULNERABLE. Population estimated at 40,200. Breeds on the Tristan da Cunha Group and Gough Island in the South Atlantic. Ninty percent of birds are on Gough.
Non-breeding birds disperse westwards towards the coast of South America (including the Falkland Islands) and eastwards to the coast of Southern Africa. Some may enter the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. A single bird at Elat in Israel (May 1982) constituted the first record for the west Palearctic and was followed by another in April 1989.
Was once of major sources of food for Tristan
Islanders during the winter but had become scarce by the 1940s and is no
longer exploited. On Tristan da Cuna, rats probably affect breeding success,
while on Gough Island, the only potential introduced predator is the house
mouse (Mus musculus) which is unlikely to affect it but there is predation
by the large Southern Skua (Catharacta antarctica) population.
Hillcoat, B., Keijl, G.O., Roselaar, C. S. and Wallace, D. I. M. (1997) Species new to the western Palearctic. Accidentals. Pterodroma incerta Atlantic petrel (Schlegel's petrel) BWP Update, Volume 1, Issue 2: August 1997. pp. 118-120