Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus)

Over the years, this species was added, removed, added, and then removed again from the Review List. Lowery (1974) considered it a regular pelagic summer visitor, with extreme dates of 8 Apr-9 Sep. The Committee added the species to the first LBRC Review List due to a general lack of submitted records supported by documentation. The species was re-confirmed as "regular" as a result of several pelagic trips during the late 1970s-1980s, and was removed from the Review List in 1986 (Schulenberg 1988). It was placed back on the list in 1994 (Dittmann 1995) because, although still presumed to be "regular," offshore coverage was still poor, there were few submitted records, and there were increasing concerns about the possibility of confusion with other storm-petrel species. Better offshore coverage via LOS and LSUMNS-sponsored pelagic trips during the late 1990s once again verified that Wilson’s Storm-Petrel was consistently the most common and regularly occurring storm-petrel species in summer off Louisiana, and the species was removed from the Review List in Sep 1999. --Ninth Report of the Louisiana Bird Records Committee (Steven W. Cardiff and Donna L. Dittmann)

Accepted Records

One male (1941-01) on 26 July 1941, Gulf of Mexico: 2 mi. off Southwest Pass; Edouard Morgan (LSUMZ 5647). This specimen represents the first state record. One sex unknown (1954-07) on 19 July 1954, Gulf of Mexico: 29o 03’N, 88o 10’ W; Harvey R. Bullis (mount; LSUMZ 20328). Second state record. One (1960-03) on 28 June 1960, Gulf of Mexico: 35 mi. SE South Pass of the Mississippi River; Barbara Bodman (LSUMZ 27861, skeleton). This represents the third state record. Two (1985-28) at the same location [about 20 miles SSE of Southwest Pass at the mouth of the Mississippi River (Plaquemines Parish)] on 10 June 1985 (B. Mac Myers III).

One (1985-27) about 20 miles SSE of Southwest Pass at the mouth of the Mississippi River (Plaquemines Parish) on 11 June 1985 (B. Mac Myers III).

One (1985-42; was 86-11) about 8 miles south of East Timbalier Island (Lafourche Parish) on 15 July 1985 (Donna L. Dittmann, Steve W. Cardiff).

Two (1985-43; was 86-12) 28-35 miles south of Belle Pass (Lafourche Parish) on 16 July 1985 (Donna L. Dittmann, Steve W. Cardiff).

One (1985-44; was86-13) 25-28 miles south of Belle Pass (Lafourche Parish) on 16 July 1985 (Donna L. Dittmann, Steve W. Cardiff).

12 (1985-43; was 86-14) from 53 miles south of Barataria Pass to 55 miles south of Cheniere Caminada (Jefferson/Lafourche Parish) on 16 July 1985 (Donna L. Dittmann, Steve W. Cardiff).

One (1985-43; was 86-15) 18.5-25 miles south of Point au Fer Island (St Mary/Terrebonne Parish) on 17 July 1985 (Donna L. Dittmann, Steve W. Cardiff).

One female (1990-27) on 28 May 1990, Gulf of Mexico: ca 15 mi. S South Pass Mississippi River; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 152594) and Donna L. Dittmann (*).

Five (95-63) on 27 May 1995, Gulf of Mexico: 40-50 mi. SSE mouth of South Pass of the Mississippi River; R. D. Purrington, Joseph P. Kleiman, and Dwight E. Peake (ph) (FN 49(3):261; LOS 165).

Two (1998-027) on 13 June 1998, Gulf of Mexico: 58 mi. S of Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River; Dave Patton.

At least two (98-07) on 13 Jun 1998, Gulf of Mexico; 54-59 mi. S of Southwest Pass Mississippi River; Joseph P. Kleiman (ph) and Karen Fay; FN 52(4): 466.

Nine (99-50), including 5 adult females, 3 adult males, and one immature female, on 1 Jul 1999, Gulf of Mexico: approx. 41 mi. SSW of Southwest Pass Mississippi River, 28 o 19’ 69” N, 89 o 34’ 64” W; Steven W. Cardiff, Donna L. Dittmann, and Paul E. Conover (LSUMZ 169395-169403; DLD).

One male (99-51) on 1 Jul 1999, Gulf of Mexico: 23.5 mi. S of Caminada Pass, 28 o 51’ 03.9” N, 90 o 05’ 21” W; Steven W. Cardiff and Donna L. Dittmann (LSUMZ 169404; DLD).

One adult female (99-52) on 1 Jul 1999, Gulf of Mexico: S. edge Sackett Bank, 21 mi. SSW of Southwest Pass Mississippi River; Steven W. Cardiff and Donna L. Dittmann (LSUMZ 169405; DLD). This and the two preceding records included in trip total in NAB 53(4): 397.

One female (1999-121) on 1 Jul 1999, Gulf of Mexico: 41 mi. SSW of mouth Southwest Pass of Mississippi River; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 169395) and Donna L. Dittmann (*); NAB53(4):397 reported “up to 25…encountered…..18-64 mi. SSE Belle Pass….”

Unaccepted Records

One (1995-65) on 8 Apr 1995, Gulf of Mexico: South Timbalier Block 130, 37 mi. SSW of Grand Isle. Identification was based primarily on foraging behavior: pattering feet on the surface of the water. The record received a mixed vote, with five members voting not to accept on the record's second circulation. Members voting not to accept cited the relatively early date of occurrence and that the brief description lacked details adequate to separate this species from Band-rumped Storm-Petrel. All three species of storm-petrel recorded in Louisiana have been observed to patter on the surface while feeding.

One (1998-147) on 11 July 1998, Gulf of Mexico: 81.5 mi. S of Gulf Shores, Alabama, N 29.19232°, W 89.52333°.