Barau's petrel is around 40 cm long, and has white undersides and forehead. Its bill is black and its upper parts are dark, with a moderately distinct "M" pattern across the wings and back.
Distribution and habitatedit
Barau's petrel ranges across the Indian Ocean from Réunion to Western Australia and Indonesia. With the exception of a single nest found on the island of Rodrigues the bulk of the population is thought to nest on Réunion.
Behaviouredit
Feedingedit
The petrels are highly pelagic at sea, preying on small fish (10 cm) by surface-seizing and plunge diving. They will associate with other species while feeding.
Breedingedit
Their colonies are unusual in being far inland and at high elevations; they dig burrows under the forest at around 2,400-2,700m above sea level. The breeding biology of the species has not been studied but it is inferred that they have a 55-day incubation period and take around 100–120 days to fledge a chick. Unlike most burrow nesting procellariids, Barau's petrels begin to return to their colonies diurnally, returning in the late afternoon and riding the thermal updrafts to conserve energy. The chicks fledge between November and February. Sites which have been identified by BirdLife International as being important for the conservation of the species include the Grand Bénard – Tapcal and Piton des Neiges – Gros MorneImportant Bird Areas (IBAs) on Réunion where breeding colonies exist.[2]
Status and conservationedit
Release of a rescued fledgling
Barau's petrel is considered to be an endangered species. It has a highly restricted breeding range and has suffered hunting pressure in the past. While the shooting of the species has now been stopped, and the population seems to have recovered, it is currently threatened by introduced species and light pollution. Young birds, particularly fledglings, are disorientated by artificial lights such as streetlights or the floodlights of sporting venues, which they mistake for bioluminescentsquid, and lead them to fail reach the sea. It is estimated that as much as 40% of each breeding season's fledglings get confused in this fashion. Conservation organisations work with local people to catch disorientated chicks and release them back at sea, a program that is thought to rescue most of the lost chicks. Measures are also underway to reduce light pollution by shielding light sources so that they don't attract young birds, a method that has been used to help Newell's shearwaters in Hawaii.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2018). "Pterodroma baraui". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22698035A132621225. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698035A132621225.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^. Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2014. Archived from the original on June 30, 2007. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses And Petrels Across The World Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK ISBN0-19-850125-0
Le Corre, M., Ollivier, A., Ribes, S., Jouventin, P., (2002) "Light-induced mortality of petrels: a 4-year study from Réunion Island (Indian Ocean)" Biological Conservation105: 93–102 [1]
Further readingedit
Bretagnolle, Vincent; Attié, Carole (1991). "Status of Barau's Petrel (Pterodroma baraui): colony sites, breeding population and taxonomic affinities". Colonial Waterbirds. 14 (1): 25–33. doi:10.2307/1521275. JSTOR 1521275.
External linksedit
BirdLife Species Factsheet
Oiseaux Photos
March 13, 2024
barau, petrel, pterodroma, baraui, medium, sized, gadfly, petrel, from, family, procellariidae, main, breeding, site, island, réunion, indian, ocean, conservation, statusendangered, iucn, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, chor. Barau s petrel Pterodroma baraui is a medium sized gadfly petrel from the family Procellariidae Its main breeding site is the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean Barau s petrelConservation statusEndangered IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder ProcellariiformesFamily ProcellariidaeGenus PterodromaSpecies P barauiBinomial namePterodroma baraui Jouanin 1964 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behaviour 4 1 Feeding 4 2 Breeding 5 Status and conservation 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksEtymology editThe name commemorates Armand Barau an agricultural engineer and ornithologist from the French territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean It is one of the most recently discovered species of seabird and was only described in 1964 although it was known to local people prior to that Description editBarau s petrel is around 40 cm long and has white undersides and forehead Its bill is black and its upper parts are dark with a moderately distinct M pattern across the wings and back Distribution and habitat editBarau s petrel ranges across the Indian Ocean from Reunion to Western Australia and Indonesia With the exception of a single nest found on the island of Rodrigues the bulk of the population is thought to nest on Reunion Behaviour editFeeding edit The petrels are highly pelagic at sea preying on small fish 10 cm by surface seizing and plunge diving They will associate with other species while feeding Breeding edit Their colonies are unusual in being far inland and at high elevations they dig burrows under the forest at around 2 400 2 700m above sea level The breeding biology of the species has not been studied but it is inferred that they have a 55 day incubation period and take around 100 120 days to fledge a chick Unlike most burrow nesting procellariids Barau s petrels begin to return to their colonies diurnally returning in the late afternoon and riding the thermal updrafts to conserve energy The chicks fledge between November and February Sites which have been identified by BirdLife International as being important for the conservation of the species include the Grand Benard Tapcal and Piton des Neiges Gros Morne Important Bird Areas IBAs on Reunion where breeding colonies exist 2 Status and conservation edit nbsp Release of a rescued fledglingBarau s petrel is considered to be an endangered species It has a highly restricted breeding range and has suffered hunting pressure in the past While the shooting of the species has now been stopped and the population seems to have recovered it is currently threatened by introduced species and light pollution Young birds particularly fledglings are disorientated by artificial lights such as streetlights or the floodlights of sporting venues which they mistake for bioluminescent squid and lead them to fail reach the sea It is estimated that as much as 40 of each breeding season s fledglings get confused in this fashion Conservation organisations work with local people to catch disorientated chicks and release them back at sea a program that is thought to rescue most of the lost chicks Measures are also underway to reduce light pollution by shielding light sources so that they don t attract young birds a method that has been used to help Newell s shearwaters in Hawaii References edit BirdLife International 2018 Pterodroma baraui IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22698035A132621225 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22698035A132621225 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Barau s Petrel Important Bird Areas factsheet BirdLife International 2014 Archived from the original on June 30 2007 Retrieved 2014 03 06 Brooke M 2004 Albatrosses And Petrels Across The World Oxford University Press Oxford UK ISBN 0 19 850125 0 Le Corre M Ollivier A Ribes S Jouventin P 2002 Light induced mortality of petrels a 4 year study from Reunion Island Indian Ocean Biological Conservation 105 93 102 1 Further reading editBretagnolle Vincent Attie Carole 1991 Status of Barau s Petrel Pterodroma baraui colony sites breeding population and taxonomic affinities Colonial Waterbirds 14 1 25 33 doi 10 2307 1521275 JSTOR 1521275 External links editBirdLife Species Factsheet Oiseaux Photos Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Barau 27s petrel amp oldid 1181719264, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
