European Storm Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus visiting the Swedish west coast; results from a ringing study 1988–2012

Kåre Ström,Aimon Niklasson

doi:10.34080/os.v24.22561

Abstract

The results of a 25 year study of the Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus on the Swedish west coast are described. The first bird was captured on 29 August 1988 (Orust in Bohuslän). A total of 72 Storm Petrels were captured between 1988 and 2012 (64 in Bohuslän and 8 in Halland). Sixty-eight of these were ringed by us and 4 were ringed abroad. Thirteen Storm Petrels (~18%) were captured twice or thrice: 4 re-traps by us (ringed abroad, 3 in Norway, 1 in Britain), 2 own re-traps and 6 recaptured abroad (2 in Britain and 4 in Norway; one own ringed bird recaptured twice). Three additional birds were spontaneously captured in other studies in southern Sweden during the same period. Mean body mass (SD) was 25.5 (1.9) g, and wing length was 123.1 (2.6) mm. A concentration of birds during the turn of the millennium may be related to periods of upwelling. Still no birds have been found breeding in Sweden. Comments are made regarding the first description by Linnaeus.

Highlights

The European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus, is a monogamous colonial seabird usually divided into two different subspecies
A total of 72 Storm Petrels were captured on the Swedish west coast during the project period, 1988–2012
During the 25 years of the Storm Petrel Project we demonstrated that Storm Petrels regularly visit the Swedish west coast at night during the presumptive breeding time at this latitudes, in contrast to winddriven birds occasionally found inland like the one first described by Linnaeus (1745)

Summary

Introduction

The European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus (hereafter Storm Petrel), is a monogamous colonial seabird usually divided into two different subspecies. Pelagicus (nominate ssp.) represents 97% of the world population, mainly breeding in Iceland, Faeroe Islands, the British Isles and Norway. Pelagicus has been estimated at 300,000–680,000 pairs (Mitchell et al 2004). Melitensis counts only about 10,000 pairs and breeds in the Mediterranean area (Mitchell et al 2004, Gutierrez et al 2006). Breeding starts in May in the British Isles but not until August in northern Norway when it is dark enough (Anker-Nilssen & Anker-Nilssen 1993)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion