Phoenix Petrel Pterodroma alba Scientific name definitions

35 cm; 219–339 g (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); wingspan 83 cm. Rather plain dark petrel with white abdomen . Fairly uniform blackish-brown upperparts ; underwing dusky grey on remiges and greater coverts, otherwise blackish except for partially white marginal coverts forming conspicuous white line on inner leading edge , in some lights may show some shining areas on rest of underwing; chin and throat with paler and browner feather tips, the central throat may be whitish but usually appears dark-hooded to upper breast, the dark running back over uppermost flanks and ending in a patch over thighs, white on rest of underparts , the lateral undertail-coverts with some dark speckling ; iris dark brown; bill black; legs and base of feet pale pink, rest of feet black. Sexes alike. Juvenile similar to adult. Resembles larger Pseudobulweria rostrata (and there is extensive overlap in their at-sea ranges in E Pacific) (2 Spear, L. B., S. N. G. Howell, and D. G. Ainley (1992). Notes on the at-sea identification of some Pacific gadfly petrels (genus: Pterodroma). Colonial Waterbirds 15:202–218. Close ), and other dark petrels with white abdomen, but compared to first-named, present species is smaller-billed, has diagnostic whitish leading edge to underwing (lacking in rostrata), lacks pale tail base and has variable white throat (never present in rostrata) (2 Spear, L. B., S. N. G. Howell, and D. G. Ainley (1992). Notes on the at-sea identification of some Pacific gadfly petrels (genus: Pterodroma). Colonial Waterbirds 15:202–218. Close ); however, all of these features are difficult to see at longer range, when the more albatross-like appearance of rostrata (narrower wings usually held straight and perpendicular to body) becomes useful (alba usually holds wings slightly forward and bent at carpal joint) (2 Spear, L. B., S. N. G. Howell, and D. G. Ainley (1992). Notes on the at-sea identification of some Pacific gadfly petrels (genus: Pterodroma). Colonial Waterbirds 15:202–218. Close ).

Marine and pelagic ; occurs near land at colonies, which it regularly visits by day and early evening. Breeds on low islands often under trees or bushes.

Disperses over wide range of tropical Pacific, occurring N to 24° N at Hawaii and S to 30° S at Kermadec Is.

Mostly squid (75% of diet by volume) up to 6 kg in size and presumably scavenged when already dead (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), with some fish (14%) (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), small quantities of crustaceans and invertebrates (predominantly water striders) (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Feeds mainly on wing by dipping; also uses surface seizing and pattering.

Described as a shrill warble terminating in a bubbling, gurgling sound  (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Thought to breed in any month, with peak laying on Kiritimati (Christmas I) in Apr–Jun and Nov–Jan, and many fewer initiating breeding during the intervening months (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); on Hatu-iti (Marquesas), nest with egg in Mar (5 Champeau, J., J.-F. Butaud, S. M. Waugh, and S. Cranwell (2011). The first comprehensive bird survey of Hatu-iti Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Marine Ornithology 39(2):255–259. Close ); on Easter I, two nests with eggs in Dec and a well-grown young in Aug (with other adults in burrows without eggs) hint at similarly prolonged breeding season (6 Marín, M., and P. Cáceres (2010). Sobre las aves de Isla de Pascua. Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Chile) 59:75–95. Close ). Does not re-lay if first clutch is lost (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Nests in scrape on ground. Clutch single egg, mean size 56·1 mm × 42·5 mm (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), mass 54·9 g (7 Whittow, G.C. (1997). Factors affecting egg mass loss in the Phoenix Petrel on Christmas Island. J. Field Orn.. 68(3): 376-381. Close ); incubation c. 53 days, but few other data, except that mean size of meals fed to chicks is 49·4 g and each adult brings food on average every 2·78 days (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). A field study on Kiritimati revealed that the mass loss of naturally incubated eggs is only 76·8% of the expected value for a procellariiform egg, despite that egg temperature (37·3ºC) was higher than expected, while body temperature of incubating adults was 38·2ºC, and the difference between body and egg temperatures (0·9ºC) was the lowest reported for any bird (7 Whittow, G.C. (1997). Factors affecting egg mass loss in the Phoenix Petrel on Christmas Island. J. Field Orn.. 68(3): 376-381. Close ).

ENDANGERED. Previously regarded as Vulnerable. Total population previously placed at some tens of thousands of breeding pairs, then c. 10,000 pairs in late 1990s, but has undoubtedly declined and has apparently been completely lost as a breeder from Tonga, Tuamotu (sight records at sea, Jul 2001, Mar 2003) (8 VanderWerf, E.A., Pierce, R.J., Gill, V.A., Wragg, G., Raust, P. and Tibbitts, T.L. (2006). Pelagic seabird surveys in the Tuamotu and Gambier archipelagos, French Polynesia. Marine Ornithology 34(1):65–70. Close ), Malden in the Line Is, and perhaps Henderson in the Pitcairns (although evidence is inconclusive concerning former presence) (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ): c. 12–20 pairs were present on Oeno (Pitcairn Is) in 1997–1998 (population estimated at < 100 pairs in 1922) (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); in Line Is, stronghold is Kiritimati (Christmas I) where, in 1967, there was estimated c. 6500 adults and, in 1980–1982, 20,000–25,000, but has apparently declined since to estimated 2300–3800 pairs in 2007, while the islets of Tabu and Upua had c. 800 nests each in 1957, then in 1993, 50 and 40 pairs respectively, and in 1999, 200 and 300; in Phoenix Is, 50+ pairs on Canton in 1987 (none in 1995–1996) and it appeared common on Phoenix in 1999 (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); in Marquesas, present on two islets off Ua Pou in 1989–1990, on Fatu Huku (five pairs) in 1990 (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), with > 250 pairs on Hatuta’a in 2007, but just c. 100 adults in 2010, and at least one pair breeding on Hatu-Iti in 2010 (pair seen there in 1922) (5 Champeau, J., J.-F. Butaud, S. M. Waugh, and S. Cranwell (2011). The first comprehensive bird survey of Hatu-iti Island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Marine Ornithology 39(2):255–259. Close ); and recently discovered breeding on Moto Nui (Easter I, Chile), where maximum of four pairs in 2009 (6 Marín, M., and P. Cáceres (2010). Sobre las aves de Isla de Pascua. Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Chile) 59:75–95. Close ). Has decreased locally due to predation by rats, cats, dogs and mongooses, and may still suffer some human exploitation. Main priorities include more complete information on distribution and population size, protective legislation for birds and nesting habitats, elimination of introduced predators and environmental education programme: on Kiritimati, cat eradication programme failed to limit predation by feral cats outside villages, but there are plans to attract P. alba to cat-free Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge using playback, whereas on Oeno and Ducie, Rattus exulans was successfully eradicated in 1997, and there is ongoing work in the Marquesas to keep protected areas free of introduced predators.