Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi Scientific name definitions

Unquestionably one of the world’s most poorly known seabirds, as well as one of the rarest with a population of perhaps fewer than 50 individuals, the Fiji Petrel is known only from the island of Gau and nearby seas, and to date the bird’s nesting areas have still not been found. Nevertheless, there are undocumented reports (perhaps involving this species or, if not, another unidentified Pseudobulweria) from as far afield as the Bismarck Archipelago and the seas north of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (1 Shirihai, H. (2008). Rediscovery of Beck’s Petrel Pseudobulweria becki, and other observations of tubenoses from the Bismarck archipelago, Papua New Guinea. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 128(1):3–16. Close , 2 Bird, J. P. (2017). Observation of an all-dark Pseudobulweria petrel in the Bismarck Sea, with a review and discussion of recent records. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 137(4):272–277. Close , 3 Flood, R. L., A. C. Wilson, and K. Zufelt (2017). Observations of five little-known tubenoses from Melanesia in January 2017. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 137(3):226–236. Close ). Described as long ago as 1860 but not seen again until the early 1980s, this is a typical member of its genus, characterized by being an all-dark chocolate-brown, rather small gadfly petrel with a slender, cigar-shaped body and blunt-tipped wings. Potentially difficult to separate from Christmas Shearwater (Puffinus nativitatis), which has a similar plumage and general structure, but a quite different, thinner bill, a more angular head, tends to have pale upperwing-covert fringes, and its feet project slightly beyond the tail. Potential threats to the Fiji Petrel, which is considered Critically Endangered, include predation by introduced cats, rats and, more recently, pigs, while the recent construction of a telecommunications transmitter on the summit of Gau may facilitate the movement of the first two predators to the presumed breeding area.

All-dark, rather small gadfly petrel with slender, cigar-shaped body (tapering tail-end), a stout bill, and blunt-tipped wings.

Difficult to separate from Christmas Shearwater (Puffinus nativitatis), which has similar plumage and general structure, but has quite different bill structure (thinner), an angular head profile (like many Puffinus), tends to show pale upperwing-covert fringes, and the feet project slightly beyond the tail (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ). Can also be confused with several other dark gadfly petrels, the cigar-shaped body, with the breast being hardly broader than the head/neck may be a useful character. Mascarene Petrel (Pseudobulweria aterrima) has chin and throat slightly paler, and is slightly larger overall, but extremely similar (fortunately, they are unlikely to come into contact) (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ). Great-winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera) is larger, the bill marginally thicker, looks more full-breasted, has pale area around bill base, and wings look more sharply pointed. Jamaican Petrel (Pterodroma caribbaea) (of the Caribbean) is fairly similar in structure and color, but larger, with paler lores, throat, rump, and uppertail-coverts. Kerguelen Petrel (Aphrodroma brevirostris) is slightly larger and paler, much grayer and more shiny, and with quite different structure, being more full-bodied and large-headed. Jouanin's Petrel (Bulweria fallax) is also fairly similar, but the wings are usually held more angled in flight, sometimes with weak paler diagonal band on upperwing, shorter head projection beyond wing base, perhaps looks broader-winged, and head usually held level or slightly higher than body, not affording the slightly humped appearance of P. macgillivrayi. The last characters separate Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) as well, but in this case the differences are greater, the head projecting less than a wing width and held higher than body almost pigeon-like, the bill being thinner, and the upperwing usually shows a pale diagonal bar.

Natal down

Undescribed.

Juvenile

Similar to adult.

Adult

Chocolate-brown to sooty black all over, including unmarked wings and tail (but in some lights may show shining central line on underwing ), often darkest on head or on foreface. Sexes similar in plumage.

Nothing known.

Bill

Black (5 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Iris

Blackish brown (5 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Legs and Feet

Legs and patch over inner base of feet pale bluish, perhaps with some dull pinkish tones, rest of feet black (5 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Linear Measurements

Overall length 29–30 cm (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ).

Linear measurements (in mm, mean plus standard deviation, with samples of both live birds and specimens, sexes combined, in parentheses, from Shirihai et al. 6 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, M. San Román, and V. Bretagnolle (2014). The Critically Endangered Mascarene Petrel Pseudobulweria aterrima: identification and behaviour at sea, historical discovery of breeding sites, and breeding ecology on Réunion, Indian Ocean. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 134(3):194–223. Close ):

Mass

120–145 g (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close , 5 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close )

Wingspan

73 cm (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ) or 76–82 cm (8 Howell, S. N. G., and K. Zufelt (2019). Oceanic Birds of the World. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ).

Recent molecular data suggest that this species is basal to other members of the genus (9 Gangloff, B., H. Shirihai, D. Watling, C. Cruaud, A. Couloux, A. Tillier, E. Pasquet, and V. Bretagnolle (2012). The complete phylogeny of Pseudobulweria, the most endangered seabird genus: systematics, species status and conservation implications. Conservation Genetics 13(1):39–52. Close ), i.e. that among known taxa of Pseudobulweria, Fiji Petrel represents the oldest member of the radiation. First assigned to Pseudobulweria by Mathews (10 Mathews, G. M. (1936). A note on the Black Fiji Petrel. Ibis (13)6:309. Close ), who ironically erected a new genus for this bird based almost entirely on a single character, the relative lengths of the first and second primaries, now known to be invalid as a distinction (11 Watling, D., and R. F. Lewanavanua (1985). A note to record the continuing survival of the Fiji (MacGillivray’s) Petrel. Ibis 127(2):230–233. Close ).

None.

Monotypic.

Gau Island (Fiji) and surrounding seas; breeding suspected on Gau but still not proven (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close , 4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ).

Marine; presumably pelagic. Breeding grounds undiscovered; presumably located in areas of undisturbed mature forest or on rocky, mountainous ground.

No information available, but presumably occurs throughout the seas around Fiji (5 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ). Undocumented reports perhaps of this species, or another unidentified Pseudobulweria (their different shape and fight behavior potentially supports the latter hypothesis), come from as far afield as the Bismarck archipelago, in August 2003, April 2007, July–August 2007 (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ), April 2008, January 2017 (3 Flood, R. L., A. C. Wilson, and K. Zufelt (2017). Observations of five little-known tubenoses from Melanesia in January 2017. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 137(3):226–236. Close ), and April 2017 (2 Bird, J. P. (2017). Observation of an all-dark Pseudobulweria petrel in the Bismarck Sea, with a review and discussion of recent records. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 137(4):272–277. Close ), and 400 km north of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (April 2007). Other at-sea but also undocumented sightings, which can be presumed to definitely refer to Fiji Petrel, are mainly off Fiji and Tonga (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ).

No information available.

Unknown (5 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Completely unknown; until very recently all records on Gau (where >70 km² of suitable forest exists up to 715 m on the island’s summit) were from the period April–December, perhaps indicating that the species breeds over a protracted period during the austral winter and spring, with those grounded on Gau either pre-breeders (approximately April–August) or juveniles on their first departure from the colony (ca. September–December) (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ). However, this hypothesis is to some extent based on notion that the holotype (collected in mid October) was a juvenile, which identification has recently been questioned (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ), although more recently (mid-January 2009) an unquestioned juvenile was grounded on Gau (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ).

Nothing known.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. The global population may number fewer than 50 mature individuals. Very little known; until one was captured in 1984, known from only a single museum specimen (collected 1855), one sighting on land (in 1965) (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ), and four unverified reports at sea (1964–1965) (12 Bourne, W. R. P. (1965). The missing petrels. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 85(6):97–105. Close , 13 Bourne, W. R. P. (1967). Observation of seabirds and review of literature. Sea Swallow 19:51–76. Close ). Since 1985 there have been 15 reports of sightings on land and six at sea, with two additional specimens (both pre-breeding adults) obtained, in 1985 and 2007 (11 Watling, D., and R. F. Lewanavanua (1985). A note to record the continuing survival of the Fiji (MacGillivray’s) Petrel. Ibis 127(2):230–233. Close , 14 Watling, D. (1986). Rediscovery of a petrel and new faunal records on Gau Island. Oryx 20(1):31–34. Close , 15 Watling, D. (1987). The Fiji Petrel: stranger in paradise. Animal Kingdom 90(1):31–34. Close , 7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ), and a third in 2009 (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ). Population on Gau Island is unlikely to be large, and the species is unknown to islanders. Known potential threats include predation by introduced cats (Felis catus), rats (Rattus spp., especially R. exulans and R. rattus) and, more recently, pigs (Sus scrofa) (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ), and the recent construction of a telecommunications transmitter on the summit of Gau may facilitate the movement of cats and rats to the presumed breeding area. Light-induced mortality is potentially also a significant threat to the species (16 Le Corre, M., A. Ollivier, S. Ribes, and P. Jouventin (2002). Light-induced mortality of petrels: a 4-year study from Réunion Island (Indian Ocean). Biological Conservation 105(1):93–102. Close ). The species is attracted to ‘chum’, thus long-lining may pose a further threat: more than one Tahiti Petrel (Pseudobulweria rostrata) and a Kermadec Petrel (Pterodroma neglecta) were seen with damaged wings, perhaps caused by entanglement with long-lines, off Gau in 2009 (4 Shirihai, H., T. Pym, J. Kretzschmar, K. Moce, A. Taukei, and D. Watling (2009). First observations of Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea off Gau Island, Fiji, in May 2009. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 129(3):129–148. Close ). Recently, local expertise has been harnessed to collect scientific data from any reported groundings, with a tribal elder on Gau employed to gather this information and students at a local school encouraged to search for any grounded birds (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ). As part of BirdLife’s Preventing Extinctions programme NatureFiji-MareqetiViti (NFMV) are implementing the following actions: three full-time staff, as well as many part-time field assistants, based on the island are implementing welfare and release procedures for grounded birds; initiation of feral pig control; nocturnal “listening” for petrels over the new moon periods using playback of Pseudobulweria rostrata and Mascarene Petrel (Pseudobulweria aterrima) calls; spotlighting and cold searches for nesting burrows; radio-telemetry to follow birds to burrows; and burrow examination (BirdLife International 2016). NFMV has conducted a systematic survey of rats on Gau (and intend undertaking further surveys to confirm and extend the current investigation) and are also collecting data on the extent of feral pigs (BirdLife International 2016). Two petrel burrow detector dogs, trained in New Zealand, have been working full time on Gau since July 2011, and it is planned that they will search for nesting birds using feathers from a dead P. macgillivrayi specimen (BirdLife International 2016).

Priorities include the localization and protection of the breeding grounds (surveys in February 1925, October 1972, July–August 1982, May 1983–August 1984, June 1985, September–October 1987, March 1989, and June 2003 all failed) (7 Priddel, D., N. Carlile, K. Moce, and D. Watling (2008). A review of records and recovery actions for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi. Bird Conservation International 18(4):381–393. Close ), and also gathering information on biology, ecology, and conservation requirements; research already in progress, but considerable efforts are required due to the apparently elusive nature of the species.