Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T11:08:19.646Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Aberrantly plumaged White-chinned Petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis in the Brazilian waters, south-west Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2015

Guilherme Frainer*
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Nicholas W. Daudt
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Biologia da Conservação de Aves e Mamíferos Aquáticos, Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Machado de Assis 1456, CEP 95520-000, Osório, RS, Brazil
Caio J. Carlos
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: G. Frainer, Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil email: gui.frainer@gmail.com
Get access

Abstract

We report on three aberrantly plumaged White-chinned Petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis from the Brazilian Economic Exclusive Zone in the south-west Atlantic Ocean – the first reports based upon tangible evidence for the region. Two of them showed a low degree of colour aberration (some white around the eyes and on the upper-wing coverts), whereas the third exhibited the highest degree of plumage aberration so far reported for the species: a plumage mostly white with brown freckles on the upper- and under-parts, head and nape. We also commented on problems related to at-sea identification of aberrantly plumaged seabirds.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bried, J., Fraga, H., Calabuig-Miranda, P. and Neves, V.C. (2005) First two cases of melanism in Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea. Marine Ornithology 33, 1922.Google Scholar
Bried, J. and Mougeot, F. (1994) Premier cas de mélanisme chez un Procellariiforme: le Pétrel-tempête à croupion gris Garrodia nereis. Alauda 62, 311312.Google Scholar
Carlos, C.J. (2009) Seabird diversity in Brazil: a review. Sea Swallow 58, 1746.Google Scholar
Carlos, C.J. and Voisin, J.F. (2008) Identifying giant petrels, Macronectes giganteus and M. halli, in the field and in the hand. Seabird 21, 115.Google Scholar
Delord, K., Barbraud, C. and Bertrand, S. (2012) Rare colour aberration in the Guanay Cormorant Phalacrocorax bougainvillii. Marine Ornithology 40, 123124.Google Scholar
Garrett, K. (1990) Leucistic black-vented shearwaters (Puffinus opisthomelas) in southern California. Western Birds 21, 6972.Google Scholar
Howell, S.N. (2006) Identification of “black petrels,” genus Procellaria. Birding 38, 5264.Google Scholar
Lambert, K. (2005) The spatial and seasonal occurrence of seabirds (Aves) off southern Mozambique. Durban Museum Novitates 30, 4560.Google Scholar
Lee, D.S. and Grant, G. (1986) An albino Greater Shearwater: feather abrasion and flight energetics. Wilson Bulletin 98, 488490.Google Scholar
Lucas, A.M. and Stettenheim, P.R. (1972) Avian anatomy: integument. Washington: US Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
Mancini, P.L., Jiménez, S., Neves, T. and Bugoni, L. (2010) Records of leucism in albatrosses and petrels (Procellariiformes) in the South Atlantic Ocean. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 18, 245248.Google Scholar
Murphy, R.C. and Pennoyer, J. (1952) Larger petrels of the genus. Pterodroma American Museum Novitates 1580, 143.Google Scholar
Nicholls, G.H. (1978) Postcranial partial albinism in the Whitechinned Petrel. Cormorant 5, 29.Google Scholar
Onley, D. and Scofield, P. (2007) Albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters of the world. London: Christopher Helm.Google Scholar
Ryan, P.G. (1998) The taxonomic and conservation status of the Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata. Bird Conservation International 8, 223235.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sage, B. (1962) Albinism and melanism in birds. British Birds 55, 201225.Google Scholar
Shewell, E.L. (1952) Procellaria aequinoctialis off the Cape province coast. Ibis 94, 544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sick, H. (1997) Ornitologia Brasileira. Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira.Google Scholar
Thompson, D., Murdoch, R. and Page, M. (2000) A near albino cape pigeon (Daption capense) off Kaikoura. Notornis 47, 235236.Google Scholar
van Grouw, H. (2006) Not every white bird is an albino: sense and nonsense about colour aberrations in birds. Dutch Birding 28, 7989.Google Scholar
van Grouw, H. (2013) What colour is that bird? British Birds 106, 1729.Google Scholar