The latest issue (March 2008) of the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club (128: 3-16) includes an account by Hadoram Shirihai on his rediscovery of the thought to be extinct Beck's Petrel Pseudobulweria becki in 2007.

The species is known previously from only two specimens collected by Rollo Beck off Papua New Guinea (1928) and the Solomon Islands (1929). In 2003, Hadoram Shirihai observed what he was sure to Beck's Petrels around the Bismarck archipelago (east of Papua New Guinea ). In 2007 he returned, and on 30 July was able to confirm their existence when he observed 20+ Beck's Petrels off southern New Ireland. Birds were seen in a similar area the following day, west of B uk a Island on 4 August (30+), off New Ireland on 5 August (20+), 6 August (5) and 7 August (12).

Photos by Hadoram Shirihai

On 4 August, a freshly dead, recently fledged petrel was found and collected and confirmed as Beck's Petrel.

Many young birds were observed, and along with the recently fledged young bird found dead at one site, strongly suggests that Beck's Petrel breeds close by within archipelago.

On his discovery, Hadoram Shirihai commented “I may have seen them [Beck's Petrels] in 2003 on a previous trip [to the same area] which made me eager to return. I wanted to know more about these amazing petrels and understand better how we can help them. I regard the 2007 voyage to mark the certain rediscovery of the species. It was possible for the first time to observe Beck's and [the very similar] Tahiti petrel side by side.”

The full paper covers the rediscovery in detail including the abundance of the species and other petrels within the Bismarck archipelago , as well as going on to look at where Beck's Petrel might be breeding and its future conservation.

To purchase a copy of the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 128 no. 1 (March 2008), or to purchase a PDF of the paper, please email boc @ bou.org.uk (remove spaces).

For further Beck's Petrel coverage see –

BirdLife International

RSPB