In the 2012 President's Budget Request, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) is terminated. As a result, all resources, databases, tools, and applications within this web site will be removed on January 15, 2012. For more information, please refer to the NBII Program Termination page.
The Audubon's Shearwater
(Puffinus lherminieri)
has been identified as a focal species in need of conservation due to population declines and documented threats to breeding birds in Caribbean and U.S. Pacific Islands populations. Although they are widespread and abundant in tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, smaller populations of Audubon's Shearwaters are particularly at risk. Shearwaters come ashore only to breed. The Caribbean/Atlantic Ocean subspecies
(P. l. lherminieri)
of Audubon's Shearwater breeds in islands throughout the Caribbean, the Bahamas and formerly on Bermuda. In the U.S. Pacific Islands, the Pacific subspecies
(P. l. dichrous)
of Audubon's Shearwater breeds in American Samoa and the Line Islands. At sea, Caribbean subspecies birds range over Atlantic Ocean waters off the southeastern U.S. coast and all the way up to Canada. About 3,000-5,000 pairs may nest in the Caribbean, but precise estimates of distribution and population size are not available due to lack of systematic surveys and difficulty in locating nests at the breeding grounds. Introduced predators, such as rats and cats, pose one of the greatest threats to shearwater populations on their nesting grounds. Other threats that may be contributing to population declines include habitat destruction and disturbance, human consumption of eggs and birds, overfishing of fish prey eaten by shearwaters, accidental capture of birds in fishing gear, oil contamination, and collisions with man-made structures at sea.
Date: September 2010
Sources:
Balloffet, N., Landes, W. and N. Le Boeuf. 2006. Strategic Engagement in Seabird Conservation: An Opportunities Assessment and Action Guide for the Waterbird Conservation Council. Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology Program, University of Maryland. 73pp.
National Audubon Society. 2007. The 2007 Audubon WatchList: Audubon's Shearwater. Retrieved September 2010 from http://web1.audubon.org/science/species/watchlist/profile.php?speciesCode=audshe.
Platenberg, R. J., F. E. Hayes, D. B. McNair, and J. J. Pierce. 2005. A Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Division of Fish and Wildlife, St. Thomas. 251 pp.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2005. Regional Seabird Conservation Plan, Pacific Region. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Birds and Habitat Programs, Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon.
Species Profile from NatureServe
Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri
Description:A colonial seabird.
Life History:Egg laying occurs in March in Bermuda; breeds February-May in Virgin Islands. Clutch size is 1. Incubation, by both sexes, lasts about 51 days; change-over every 8-10 days. Young is deserted by parents at about 69 days, first flies and leaves nesting area at about 72 days. At sea usually in small groups or singly (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Migrates between breeding and nonbreeding areas.
Habitat:Pelagic. Eggs are laid in rock crevices and on the ground under dense vegetation on islands (AOU 1983); also in burrows in earth and sand outside North Atlantic region (Palmer 1962).
Distribution:
United States:
AL, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, NJ, TX, VA
Status:
NatureServe Status: Global Status: G4G5, Global Status Last Reviewed: 20Nov1996, Global Status Last Changed: 20Nov1996, Rounded Global Status: G4 - Apparently Secure
Other Statuses: IUCN Red List Category: LC - Least concern
