Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates castro)

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel was removed from the Review List 7 Sep 2002.

Accepted Records

One (1997-59) on 24 May 1997, Gulf of Mexico: approximately 53 mi. SW of mouth South Pass of Mississippi River, 28o14'N, 89o30'W; John P. Sevenair (ph), Phillip A. Wallace (ph), and David P. Muth (ph). This record predates all previously accepted records and becomes the official FIRST state record.

Photo by David P. Muth

Six (00-1), including five adult males and one adult female, on 12 Jun 2000, Gulf of Mexico: 37 mi. SSE of South Pass Mississippi River, 28o 31’ 42”N, 88 o 50’ 28” W, 3900 ft. depth; John Conover & Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 171801-171806; DLD), and Donna L. Dittmann; NAB 54(4): 391.

One male (01-26) on 29 Jun 2001, Gulf of Mexico: approx. 45 mi. SSE of South Pass Mississippi River, 28o 28’ 42” N, 88 o 52’ 05” W; Steven W. Cardiff, Paul E. & John Conover (LSUMZ 172674; DLD), and Donna L. Dittmann; NAB 55(4): 442.

One male (01-27) on 21 Jul 2001, Gulf of Mexico: approx. 24 mi. S of South Pass Mississippi River, 28o 34’ 52”N, 89 o 17’ 00”W; Steven W. Cardiff and Paul E. Conover (LSUMZ 172675; DLD), and Donna L. Dittmann; NAB 55(4): 442.

These are the first accepted records for Louisiana. This species has a very brief history on the Review List. Although reported in Louisiana waters as early as 1985, and considered “regular” on late spring-early fall LOS pelagic trips and GulfCet surveys (e.g., Ribic et. al 1997), few records were submitted to the LBRC and none were supported by diagnostic photographs or specimens. The species was finally added to the State and Review lists at the 2000 Annual Meeting based on above record No. 00-1. Additional specimens and sight records generated during LSUMNS pelagic surveys in summer 2001-2002 convinced the LBRC that Band-rumped Storm-Petrel is regular in Louisiana waters mid May-early Aug, and the species was removed from the Review List at the September 2002 Annual Meeting.

Five, including two specimens (2002-48), on 29 May 2002, Gulf of Mexico: approximately 51 mi. ESE of mouth South Pass of Mississippi River, 28o36'04.1"N, 88o25'07.1"W; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 173393-173394) and Donna L. Dittmann (*). Report form discusses both this record and LBRC record no. 2002-49 below.

Eleven, including four specimens (one immature and two adult males, one immature female (2002-49), on 29 May 2002, Gulf of Mexico: approximately 41.6 mi. ESE of mouth South Pass of Mississippi River, 28o36'44.8"N, 88o35'56.6"W; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 173395-173398) and Donna L. Dittmann (*). See also LBRC record no. 2002-48 and NAB56(3):315, covering a total of 16 Band-rumpeds found on 29 May 2002.

One adult female (2002-87) on 17 Jul 2002, Gulf of Mexico: approximately 48 mi. S of mouth South Pass of Mississippi River, 28o17'40.4"N, 89o11'55.9"W; Steven W. Cardiff and Paul E. Conover (LSUMZ 173399), Donna L. Dittmann (*).

One adult female (2002-88) on 17 Jul 2002, Gulf of Mexico: approximately 70 mi. S of mouth South Pass of Mississippi River, 27o57'57.4"N, 89o14'20.5"W; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 173400) and Donna L. Dittmann (*).

One adult male (2002-89) on 18 Jul 2002, Gulf of Mexico: approximately 45 mi. S of mouth South Pass of Mississippi River, 28o20'32.3"N, 89o14'01.1"W; Paul E. Conover (LSUMZ 173401), Steven W. Cardiff, and Donna L. Dittmann (*). LBRC record nos. 2002-87, 2002-88, and 2002-89 were among “six birds recorded on two day excursion” mentioned in NAB56(4):445.

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel was removed from the Review List on 7 Sep 2002. The species is now considered a scarce but regular visitor to deep offshore waters from May through July; presence during late summer-early fall is poorly documented and status during this period remains uncertain.

Unaccepted Records

One (1985-47; was 86-16) on 16 Jul. 1985, Gulf of Mexico: about 55 mi. south of Caminada Pass (W. end Grand Isle (28025'N, 90009'W; AB 39(5):921). Expert opinions were provided by David S. Lee and Ron Naveen. This record was eventually decided at a meeting vote of 5(acceptable)-2(unacceptable) after three circulations. Dissenting members believed that this species posed such a difficult field identification problem that a first state record would only be acceptable if documented by a specimen or definitive photographs. Members voting for the record felt that the description, especially that of the flight behavior, supposedly diagnostic for separating Band-rumped from Wilson's storm-petrels, was adequate to document a first state record.

Up to 24 (1995-064) on 27 May 1995, Gulf of Mexico: 45-55 mi. SSE of South Pass of the Mississippi River. This record predates the first accepted state record. Neither the descriptions or the now-degraded video were considered adequate to support the identification of these storm-petrels as Band-rumpeds.

One (2000-76) on 5 Jul 2000, Gulf of Mexico: 122 mi. S of Morgan City, Green Canyon 18A oil platform, 27o56'37²N, 91o01'45²W. No plumage patterns were discernible at the distance observed; identification was based after-the-fact on flight behavior. The observer did not have any experience with this species and the identification may have been influenced by subsequent discussions with another birder.

One (2000-75) on 28 Jul 2000, Gulf of Mexico: 122 mi. S of Morgan City, Green Canyon 18A oil platform, 27o56'37²N, 91o01'45²W. Other storm-petrel species, or even Black Tern, could not be eliminated due to the distant observation (e. g., white rump not seen).