The Chatham petrel is a medium-sized petrel with a mottled dark-grey and white forehead, dark grey back and upper wings, and white underparts. A black diagonal bar extends from the leading edge of underwing to a black ‘armpit’. The shoulders and upper-wing coverts are a deeper grey giving a dark M pattern across the spread upper wings.
The bill is black and strongly hooked tip. The eye is dark, and the legs and feet are pink, with dark outer toes and webs. The sexes are alike.
Chatham petrels are rarely observed away from the colony; the few at-sea records are from ships in oceanic waters.[2][3]
Breedingedit
Chatham petrel in nesting box, on egg
Chatham petrels nest in burrows under the forest canopy to which they are generally faithful to over time. Leaves are used as nesting material. Each pair lays a single white egg in December or January and the chicks fledge in May or June.
Distributionedit
This species breeds only in the Chatham Islands.[4]
Status and threatsedit
The population is estimated at 2,000 birds and is classified as nationally vulnerable.[5] Fossil evidence shows this species was present throughout the Chatham group before the arrival of humans, predation by humans and introduced mammals (rats and cats) and the loss of forest habitat saw the species restricted to Rangatira island.[4][6] Before conservation efforts began, the size of the Rangatira population was limited by burrow competition with the broad-billed prionPachyptila vittata, of which an estimated 330,000 pairs inhabit the island.
Conservation managementedit
Conservation efforts for the Chatham petrel started in the late 1980s, the initial focus of which was locating burrows and determining the cause of breeding failure.[7] Once it was determined that burrow competition from broad-billed prions was causing most breeding attempts to fail, attention shifted to protection of burrows and chicks from prion interference.[7] Burrows are located using telemetry - adult birds caught on the surface are fitted with a small transmitter and tracked to their burrows. Burrows are then protected by installing a plastic or wooden artificial burrow (to guard against collapse) and protected from prion entry by the fitting of a neoprene flap over the burrow entrance. Burrows are also blocked over the non-breeding period to ensure they are not occupied by prions during the petrels' winter absence. In the 2005/06 breeding season of the 155 known breeding pairs on Rangatira, 83% were successful in fledging their chick.
The transfer of 200 chicks to a predator-proof fenced area on nearby Pitt Island/Rangiauria over the four years 2002-05 has seen the return of small number of birds to the site and the first breeding occur (with the fledging of 1 chick) in the 2005/06 season and four breeding pairs in 2006/07. The transfer of 200 chicks over four years to a predator-proof fenced site on the South coast of Chatham Island started in April 2008 with the translocation of 47 chicks.[7]
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2018). "Pterodroma axillaris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22697949A132613763. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697949A132613763.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^Miskelly, Colin; Aikman, Hilary (2004). "Birds of the Chatham Islands". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
^"Chatham petrel". New Zealand Birds Online. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
^ abColin M. Miskelly; Dafna Gilad; Graeme Arthur Taylor; Alan Tennyson; Susan M. Waugh (2019). "A review of the distribution and size of gadfly petrel (Pterodroma spp.) colonies throughout New Zealand". Tuhinga: Records of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. 30. Te Papa: 99–177. ISSN 1173-4337. Wikidata Q106839633.
^"Chatham petrel/ranguru". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
^Joanne H. Cooper; Alan Tennyson (2008). "Wrecks and residents: the fossil gadfly petrels (Pterodroma spp.) of the Chatham Islands, New Zealand" (PDF). Oryctos. 7: 227–248. ISSN 1290-4805. Wikidata Q126176463.
^ abcHelen Gummer; Graeme Taylor; Kerry-Jayne Wilson; Matt J. Rayner (January 2015). "Recovery of the endangered Chatham petrel (Pterodroma axillaris): A review of conservation management techniques from 1990 to 2010". Global Ecology and Conservation. 3: 310–323. doi:10.1016/J.GECCO.2014.12.006. ISSN 2351-9894. Wikidata Q126176490.
External linksedit
"Chatham petrel recovery plan 2001-2011" (PDF). Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand. 2001. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
Chatham petrel discussed on RNZCritter of the Week, 31 August 2018
January 01, 1970
chatham, petrel, pterodroma, axillaris, ranguru, maori, medium, sized, grey, white, black, gadfly, petrel, only, breeds, chatham, islands, zealand, until, recently, restricted, hectare, rangatira, south, east, island, conservation, status, vulnerable, iucn, sc. The Chatham petrel Pterodroma axillaris or ranguru Maori is a medium sized grey white and black gadfly petrel It only breeds on the Chatham Islands New Zealand and until recently was restricted to the 218 hectare Rangatira or South East Island Chatham petrel Conservation status Vulnerable IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Procellariiformes Family Procellariidae Genus Pterodroma Species P axillaris Binomial name Pterodroma axillaris Salvin 1893 Synonyms Oestrelata axillaris Contents 1 Description 2 Breeding 3 Distribution 4 Status and threats 4 1 Conservation management 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Illustration by Joseph Smit 1896 The Chatham petrel is a medium sized petrel with a mottled dark grey and white forehead dark grey back and upper wings and white underparts A black diagonal bar extends from the leading edge of underwing to a black armpit The shoulders and upper wing coverts are a deeper grey giving a dark M pattern across the spread upper wings The bill is black and strongly hooked tip The eye is dark and the legs and feet are pink with dark outer toes and webs The sexes are alike Chatham petrels are rarely observed away from the colony the few at sea records are from ships in oceanic waters 2 3 Breeding edit nbsp Chatham petrel in nesting box on eggChatham petrels nest in burrows under the forest canopy to which they are generally faithful to over time Leaves are used as nesting material Each pair lays a single white egg in December or January and the chicks fledge in May or June Distribution editThis species breeds only in the Chatham Islands 4 Status and threats editThe population is estimated at 2 000 birds and is classified as nationally vulnerable 5 Fossil evidence shows this species was present throughout the Chatham group before the arrival of humans predation by humans and introduced mammals rats and cats and the loss of forest habitat saw the species restricted to Rangatira island 4 6 Before conservation efforts began the size of the Rangatira population was limited by burrow competition with the broad billed prion Pachyptila vittata of which an estimated 330 000 pairs inhabit the island Conservation management edit Conservation efforts for the Chatham petrel started in the late 1980s the initial focus of which was locating burrows and determining the cause of breeding failure 7 Once it was determined that burrow competition from broad billed prions was causing most breeding attempts to fail attention shifted to protection of burrows and chicks from prion interference 7 Burrows are located using telemetry adult birds caught on the surface are fitted with a small transmitter and tracked to their burrows Burrows are then protected by installing a plastic or wooden artificial burrow to guard against collapse and protected from prion entry by the fitting of a neoprene flap over the burrow entrance Burrows are also blocked over the non breeding period to ensure they are not occupied by prions during the petrels winter absence In the 2005 06 breeding season of the 155 known breeding pairs on Rangatira 83 were successful in fledging their chick The transfer of 200 chicks to a predator proof fenced area on nearby Pitt Island Rangiauria over the four years 2002 05 has seen the return of small number of birds to the site and the first breeding occur with the fledging of 1 chick in the 2005 06 season and four breeding pairs in 2006 07 The transfer of 200 chicks over four years to a predator proof fenced site on the South coast of Chatham Island started in April 2008 with the translocation of 47 chicks 7 References edit BirdLife International 2018 Pterodroma axillaris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22697949A132613763 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22697949A132613763 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Miskelly Colin Aikman Hilary 2004 Birds of the Chatham Islands Department of Conservation Retrieved 2 March 2019 Chatham petrel New Zealand Birds Online Retrieved 2 March 2019 a b Colin M Miskelly Dafna Gilad Graeme Arthur Taylor Alan Tennyson Susan M Waugh 2019 A review of the distribution and size of gadfly petrel Pterodroma spp colonies throughout New Zealand Tuhinga Records of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa 30 Te Papa 99 177 ISSN 1173 4337 Wikidata Q106839633 Chatham petrel ranguru Department of Conservation Retrieved 2 March 2019 Joanne H Cooper Alan Tennyson 2008 Wrecks and residents the fossil gadfly petrels Pterodroma spp of the Chatham Islands New Zealand PDF Oryctos 7 227 248 ISSN 1290 4805 Wikidata Q126176463 a b c Helen Gummer Graeme Taylor Kerry Jayne Wilson Matt J Rayner January 2015 Recovery of the endangered Chatham petrel Pterodroma axillaris A review of conservation management techniques from 1990 to 2010 Global Ecology and Conservation 3 310 323 doi 10 1016 J GECCO 2014 12 006 ISSN 2351 9894 Wikidata Q126176490 External links edit Chatham petrel recovery plan 2001 2011 PDF Department of Conservation Wellington New Zealand 2001 Retrieved 2007 09 19 Chatham petrel discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week 31 August 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chatham petrel amp oldid 1226196344, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
