Procellaria Conspicillata Research Articles

Seabirds attending bottom long‐line fishing off southeastern Brazil

Flocks of seabirds attending commercial bottom long‐line fishing operations on the coastal shelf off southeastern Brazil show a greater species diversity during the summer than the winter (16 v 9 species), although the number of birds per flock tended to be greater during the cold season. During the summer, the Spectacled Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis conspi‐cillata was the commonest species, followed by the Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis, Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea, skuas Stercorarius spp. and the Yellow‐nosed AlbatrossDiomedea chlororhynchus. During the winter, the White‐chinned Petrel Procellaria aequin‐octialis, Yellow‐nosed Albatross and Black‐browed Albatross Diomedea melanophrys were jointly the commonest species. Marked differences in the relative abundance of species were observed between the different sampling periods, probably because of migratory movements but also because of seasonal shifts of the sea currents and the influence of cold fronts. Waters off southeastern Brazil are important feeding areas for some seabird populations nesting in the Tristan da Cunha and Gough group, especially for nonbreeding Spectacled Petrels and post‐breeding Yellow‐nosed Albatrosses.