Beck's Petrel
Encyclopedia
Beck’s Petrel, Pseudobulweria becki, is a small, recently rediscovered shearwater
. It is dark brown above and on the head and throat. It is dark underneath the wings with a fairly distinct white wingbar. The belly and breast are white. It flies over open oceans with straight wings that are slightly bent back at the tips.
This bird is believed to nest on small islands with tall mountains around Melanesia
. Its specific epithet commemorates the American ornithologist Rollo Beck
.
This bird used to be known from only two specimens – a female east of New Ireland
in 1928 and a male north-east of Rendova, Solomon Islands
in 1929. In 2005, a bird possibly of this species was photographed in Australia
's Coral Sea
by birding tour guide Richard Baxter. He noted that it was definitely not the similar and much more common Tahiti Petrel
because it is much smaller. He also noted the pale throat and shorter and broader wings. This record has not been officially accepted by the Birds Australia
Rarities Committee, considering at the time of the report, no living specimens of the species had been found, but given the new evidence this may eventually change.
In recent times, sightings of birds that may have been Beck's Petrels were reported from the Bismarck Archipelago
and Solomon Islands. Hadoram Shirihai
, the Israel
i ornithologist, finally managed to confirm the species' continuing existence. In 2003, he had made some of the tentative sightings, and returning to the area in July and August 2007, he observed and photographed some 30 birds, including juveniles and adults. Sightings were especially frequent near Cape St George, New Ireland
. A bird that had recently died was collected as the third specimen, finally providing definite proof of the mysterious petrels' identity. In February 2010 a live Beck's Petrel, disoriented by ship's lights during night flight, landed on a cruise ship (chartered for a birdwatching
tour) between New Zealand and New Guinea, and, after being closely examined, was released alive the next day.
The breeding grounds are still undiscovered. While most of the data suggests a location in the southern Bismarck Archipelago, it must be remembered that petrels are notoriously migratory and move away from their breeding grounds after the young have fledged, often for considerable distances. It is still more likely than not that the species breeds in Melanesia southeast of New Guinea
, as was hypothesized at the species' discovery.
Shearwater
Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...
. It is dark brown above and on the head and throat. It is dark underneath the wings with a fairly distinct white wingbar. The belly and breast are white. It flies over open oceans with straight wings that are slightly bent back at the tips.
This bird is believed to nest on small islands with tall mountains around Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
. Its specific epithet commemorates the American ornithologist Rollo Beck
Rollo Beck
Rollo Howard Beck was an American ornithologist, bird collector and explorer. Beck's Petrel is named after him.-Early years:...
.
This bird used to be known from only two specimens – a female east of New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
in 1928 and a male north-east of Rendova, Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
in 1929. In 2005, a bird possibly of this species was photographed in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Coral Sea
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
by birding tour guide Richard Baxter. He noted that it was definitely not the similar and much more common Tahiti Petrel
Tahiti Petrel
The Tahiti Petrel, Pétrel De Tahiti, or Petrel De Tahití is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family....
because it is much smaller. He also noted the pale throat and shorter and broader wings. This record has not been officially accepted by the Birds Australia
Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, also known as Birds Australia, was founded in 1901 to promote the study and conservation of the native bird species of Australia and adjacent regions. This makes it Australia's oldest national birding association. It is also Australia's largest...
Rarities Committee, considering at the time of the report, no living specimens of the species had been found, but given the new evidence this may eventually change.
In recent times, sightings of birds that may have been Beck's Petrels were reported from the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
and Solomon Islands. Hadoram Shirihai
Hadoram Shirihai
Hadoram Shirihai is an Israeli ornithologist and writer.-Biography:Shirihai grew up in Jerusalem where he became fascinated with birds when he was 13 and spent much time documenting shorebird behaviour, raptor breeding biology and participating in bird migration surveys...
, the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i ornithologist, finally managed to confirm the species' continuing existence. In 2003, he had made some of the tentative sightings, and returning to the area in July and August 2007, he observed and photographed some 30 birds, including juveniles and adults. Sightings were especially frequent near Cape St George, New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
. A bird that had recently died was collected as the third specimen, finally providing definite proof of the mysterious petrels' identity. In February 2010 a live Beck's Petrel, disoriented by ship's lights during night flight, landed on a cruise ship (chartered for a birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
tour) between New Zealand and New Guinea, and, after being closely examined, was released alive the next day.
The breeding grounds are still undiscovered. While most of the data suggests a location in the southern Bismarck Archipelago, it must be remembered that petrels are notoriously migratory and move away from their breeding grounds after the young have fledged, often for considerable distances. It is still more likely than not that the species breeds in Melanesia southeast of New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, as was hypothesized at the species' discovery.
External links
- Beck’s is back: 2006 Sighting Downloaded on 26/6/06
- Beck’s Petrel flies back from extinction. (BirdLife, 06/03/08)
- More information on rediscovery Database entry includes justification for why this species is critically endangered
- http://www.tonypalliser.com/barc/summaries/SUMM489.htm Link to the Birds Australia Rarities Committee submission