Pachyptila belcheri

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PROCELLARIIFORMES	PROCELLARIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Pachyptila belcheri

Species Authority:

(Mathews, 1912)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Slender-billed Prion, Thin-billed Prion
French	–	Prion de Belcher

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2009	–	Least Concern
2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Thin-billed Prion breeds the Crozet Islands and the Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), the Falkland islands (Islas Malvinas) and Noir Island, Chile. Outside the breeding season it can be found over much of the Southern Ocean, including the coasts of South Africa, Australia and South America as far north as Uraguay and southern Peru¹.
Countries:	Native: Antarctica; Argentina; Australia; Brazil; Chile; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Southern Territories (the); New Zealand; Peru; South Africa; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Uruguay Vagrant: Kenya; Mauritius; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Present - origin uncertain: Heard Island and McDonald Islands; Norfolk Island
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Brooke (2004) estimated the global population to number at least 7,000,000 individuals.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This marine species can usually be found over pelagic waters but will feed inshore or in shallow offshore waters during the breeding season. It feeds mostly on crustaceans with a heavy dependance on amphipods (particularly Themisto gaudichaudii). It can also take small fish and squid. It catches prey mainly by surface-seizing, dipping and pattering at night. Breeding starts in October in loose colonies in costal areas with soft or stony soil and low vegetation. It nests in burrows (del Hoyo et al. 1992).
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

This marine species can usually be found over pelagic waters but will feed inshore or in shallow offshore waters during the breeding season. It feeds mostly on crustaceans with a heavy dependance on amphipods (particularly Themisto gaudichaudii). It can also take small fish and squid. It catches prey mainly by surface-seizing, dipping and pattering at night. Breeding starts in October in loose colonies in costal areas with soft or stony soil and low vegetation. It nests in burrows (del Hoyo et al. 1992).

Systems:

Terrestrial; Marine

Bibliography [top]

	Brooke, M. De L. 2004. Albatrosses and petrels across the world. Oxford University Press, Oxford. del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A.; Sargatal, J. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2012.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 19 June 2012). Nevoux, M.; Barbraud, C. 2006. Relationships between sea ice concentration, sea surface temperature and demographic traits of thin-billed prions. Polar Biology 29: 445-453. Quilifeldt, P.; Strange, I. J.; Masello, J. F. 2007. Sea surface temperatures and behavioural buffering capacity in thin-billed prions Pachyptila belcheri: breeding success, provisioning and chick begging. Journal of Avian Biology 38: 298-308.

Brooke, M. De L. 2004. Albatrosses and petrels across the world. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A.; Sargatal, J. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2012.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 19 June 2012).

Nevoux, M.; Barbraud, C. 2006. Relationships between sea ice concentration, sea surface temperature and demographic traits of thin-billed prions. Polar Biology 29: 445-453.

Quilifeldt, P.; Strange, I. J.; Masello, J. F. 2007. Sea surface temperatures and behavioural buffering capacity in thin-billed prions Pachyptila belcheri: breeding success, provisioning and chick begging. Journal of Avian Biology 38: 298-308.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Pachyptila belcheri. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2013.
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