My friend have photographed this storm-petrel sp. few days ago, about 5.5 nautical miles off Yilan County, Taiwan. The regular storm-petrel here should be Swinhoe's, but this one looks longer and more forked tail than usual Swinhoe's. According to my friend's statement, this bird has a little bit larger in size and glides more "unusual pattern" than other Swinhoe's. Another differential species here is Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel. Due to very few confirmed records in Taiwan, we sincerely need any comments. Thank you in advance.
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What kind of storm-petrel? northeast off Taiwan (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter modrawnu
- Start date
KenM
Well-known member
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
Assuming the OP has got the size and flight difference from Swinhoe’s correct, then the only realistic option is Matsudira’s (Black and Markham’s are unlikely on range, though with seabirds who knows? and Tristram’s has a paleish rump).
The white patch to the leading edge (I assume Ken means the white primary shafts) are shared with a few species.
If anyone remembers back to 1988 (A U.K. pelagic trip aboard the dive vessel Chalice) the original ‘Chalice’ Petrel gave everyone a lot of head scratching at the time. Originally called as a Bulwer’s descriptions then focussed on it being Tristram’s and latterly switched to Matsudira’s. It was never accepted as any species. Once Swinhoe’s started being trapped in U.K. in subsequent years attention was turned to this individual again but consensus seemed to have been that it was probably Markham’s or Matsudiara’s. It was again addressed 16 years after its occurrence and is now thought to be a Swinhoe’s.
The white patch to the leading edge (I assume Ken means the white primary shafts) are shared with a few species.
If anyone remembers back to 1988 (A U.K. pelagic trip aboard the dive vessel Chalice) the original ‘Chalice’ Petrel gave everyone a lot of head scratching at the time. Originally called as a Bulwer’s descriptions then focussed on it being Tristram’s and latterly switched to Matsudira’s. It was never accepted as any species. Once Swinhoe’s started being trapped in U.K. in subsequent years attention was turned to this individual again but consensus seemed to have been that it was probably Markham’s or Matsudiara’s. It was again addressed 16 years after its occurrence and is now thought to be a Swinhoe’s.
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