Mexican Shearwater ID

[Ed McVicker]

About a month ago, on a cruise ship about 25 miles off the Pacific coast in Michoacan, Mexico, I had distant views and photos of a shearwater.  At the time I was impressed by its long, droopy wings, languid flight style and overall light appearance of the underside and head.  It brought to mind Calonectris shearwaters I've seen in Atlantic waters.  After inspecting the photos of the bird, I decided that it was most like a Streaked Shearwater.  Knowing the rarity of the species in the eastern Pacific and, as a result of more research upon returning home, I'm less comfortable about sticking with that ID. 

I'm interested in knowing what others think.

Photos:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/10665268@N04/albums/72157703305656511/with/45456855755/

Thanks,

Ed McVicker

Portland, OR

[Alvaro Jaramillo]

Hi Ed,

  This is a Black-vented Shearwater. This species has an incredibly high incidence of leucism. As far as I know this is unstudied, but I have seen up to 3 different individuals in a day (Monterey Bay, California) showing with or pale areas in the plumage. Perhaps others on the list can confirm that the high rate of leucistic Black-vented Shearwaters is unstudied, or if it is, I would read the publications.

Regards

Alvaro

 

Alvaro Jaramillo

alv...@alvarosadventures.com

www.alvarosadventures.com

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[Gail Mackiernan]

We saw a large number of very pale Black-Venteds off Mexico on our 2009 cruise, as described in our trip report. We too were initially puzzled as quite different from the species’s appearance further north, seen on same voyage. Tony Quinn took quite a few photos, will look to see if I have any of them...

Gail Mackiernan

Silver Spring, MD

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