Fiji Petrel

The Fiji Petrel , also known as MacGillivray's Petrel, is a small, dark gadfly petrel.

The Fiji Petrel is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

The Fiji Petrel was originally known from one immature specimen found in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji by naturalist John MacGillivray on board 'HMS Herald' who took the carcass to the British Museum in London. It was rediscovered in 1983, since when there have been a further seven records, which included the capture and photographing of one adult in April 1984. More

Fiji Petrel found at sea � pungent fish ... More

DividerDescriptionThe Fiji petrel is a small, all black-brown petrel with a short neck and stout black bill giving it a chunky, thickset appearance. It measures up to 28cm from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail. In flight, the underwing has a pale silvery sheen. It has a pale washed-out blue tarsi; mostly black feet with a pale blue patch on centre of each web. More

The Fiji petrel is one of the world’s rarest and most elusive birds. First known from just one immature specimen collected in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji by naturalist John MacGillivray, the species went missing with no further confirmed sightings for almost 130 years. In 1984, an adult was caught on Gau and then released. More

The Fiji Petrel Expedition 2008 Most birders will know the story behind the enigmatic and near-mythical Fiji Petrel. Unrecorded from the type specimen taken in 1855 until 1984 when Dick Watling had the extraordinary experience, when spotlighting, of a bird crash-landing into his head! Breeding is suspected on the small island of Gau but detailed searching there has not found any birds. Some 10 though, mainly juveniles, have since crashed onto roofs and grounded in a local village there. More

Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel found and photographed at sea Pungent fish attracts “lost” species Published on Sep 11, 2009 - 7:56:18 AM Share on Twitter Email this article Printer friendly page By: BirdLife International fiji_petrel_tubenoses_project_copyright_h_shirihai_1n7j9105.jpg.jpg Copyright H. Shirihai/The Tubenoses Project The perilous status of Fiji Petrel was confirmed by this expedition Sept. More

In August 2007, a recent skin of an injured Fiji Petrel, that subsequently died was made available for study in Fiji. - ABOUT ME More

Known for its elusive nature, the Fiji petrel has been plagued by discouraging rumors of extinction. Discovered in 1855, the petrel has rarely been seen and, prior to Milika More

The Fiji Petrel has been seen and photographed off Gau Island, in the Fiji archipelago. A press release a couple of hours ago from Birdlife International reveals many details, such as the species is known only from one specimen collected in1855. That is 154 years ago. Alright, the article admits that there been a few reports of birds landing on the roofs on houses on Gau island that possbly were this species. But without photos or specimens, it is hard to be sure. More

Fiji Petrel found at sea – pungent fish attracts “lost” species 11-09-2009 An expedition to find the Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea has been successful, returning with stunning images and new information on one of the world’s least-known seabirds. The expedition was partially financed by a grant from the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme and its official sponsor, the British Birdwatching Fair. More

FLORA AND FAUNAMysterious Fiji petrel sighting raises hopes for survival The organisation believes probably only about 50 Fiji petrels survive, adding urgency to attempts to find the nesting burrows in forested rugged hills on Gau, which lies about 90 kilometres (56 miles) east of Fiji's main island of Viti Levu. More

individual Fiji Petrels were seen over 11 days in an area around 25 nautical miles south of Gau. Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More

The Fiji petrel, a seabird that once "went missing" for 130 years, has been sighted flying at sea, near the island of Gau in the Pacific Ocean. The culmination of a meticulously planned bird hunt, Birdlife International researchers sighted the birds 25 nautical miles south of Gau. Up to eight individuals were seen and photographed over 11 days. The 30cm tall dark-brown Fiji petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi) is one of the most elusive of all birds. More

Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel found and photographed at sea Author: BirdLife International Published on Sep 11, 2009 - 7:56:18 AM fiji_petrel_tubenoses_project_copyright_h_shirihai_1n7j9105.jpg.jpg Copyright H. Shirihai/The Tubenoses Project The perilous status of Fiji Petrel was confirmed by this expedition Sept. 11, 2009 - An expedition to find the Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea has been successful, returning with stunning images and new information on one of the world’s least-known seabirds. More

Fiji Petrel Expedition - Participants Needed Fiji Petrel Expedition, Fiji Islands 08, on its way - looking for two more keen participants Hadoram Shirihai and Dick Watling (the former is responsible for the rediscovery of Beck's Petrel and the latter the Fiji Petrels) are just about one month before starting the at sea Fiji Petrel Expedition, 16 to 26 July 2008. More

The first Fiji petrel specimen was collected in 1855 on Gau, and a second not until 1984. Since then, there have been a handful of reports of birds crashing into houses on Gau, but no one had ever positively identified one at sea, the researchers said. The finding is significant because there is so little information about the bird, said Nicholas Carlile, seabird project officer with the New South Wales state Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Water. More

Finding Fiji Petrel at sea was no accident, combining meticulous planning and luring the seabirds with a specially made food, called “chum”. The main ingredients of chum? Fish offal cut into small pieces and mixed with very dense fish oil, to which water was added and then frozen in 10-kg blocks. Fiji Petrel Fiji Petrel © H.Shirihai. More

including the Fiji petrel, was warranted but precluded by higher priority listing actions. We made a subsequent warranted-but-precluded finding for all outstanding foreign species from the 1980 and 1991 petitions, including the three species that are the subject of this final rule, as published in our annual notice of review (ANOR) on May 21, 2004 (69 FR 29354). More

On the edge of extinction, Fiji petrels observed at sea for the first time Jeremy Hance mongabay.com September 15, 2009 The Critically Endangered Fiji petrel has been observed at sea for the first time by BirdLife International and NatureFiji-MareqetiViti. First recorded in 1855 from one specimen found on Gau Island, Fiji, the rare seabird disappeared from scientific view for 130 years. More

DESCRIPTION: The Fiji petrel is a small, all-dark gadfly petrel with a heavy bill. It is described as being 30 centimeters tall with dark chocolate-colored feathers, dark eyes and bill, and pale blue foot patches. HABITAT: This seabird’s breeding habitat is believed to be on the island of Gau, Fiji. The island is of volcanic origin and is rugged. More than half the island, mostly the upland areas of the interior, consists of dense tropical rainforest. More

One of the world’s least-known birds, the Fiji petrel, seen at sea for the first time = 14/09/2009 12:43:49birds/june_2009/Fiji_Petrel_rspb Fiji petrel seen seen at sea for the first time. Photo credit RSPB. Pungent fish smell helps research team rediscover ‘lost' seabird September 2009. An expedition using the pungent smell of fish offal to find a Critically Endangered seabird at sea has been successful, returning with stunning images and new information about the Fiji petrel, one of the world's least-known birds. More

The first observations of Fiji Petrel at sea We are pleased to announce that this year’s ‘Fiji Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2009’ was successful in finding the species off Gau Island, Fiji (this being the only site where a few birds have grounded in the past; the vast majority dead or moribund after hitting village roofs). Our sightings constitute the first unequivocal records of Fiji Petrel at sea; eight were seen over an eleven-day period. More

Fiji Petrel found at sea – pungent fish attracts “lost” species - Cryptozoology Online: Daily News (Free subscription)09/11/2009 11-09-2009 An expedition to find the Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi at sea has been successful, returning with stunning images and new information on one of the world’s least-known seabirds. More

Interview: Hadoram Shirihai and Tony Pym of the Fiji Petrel expedition = by Gunnar Engblom on September 18, 2009 Social Media for birders - start January 10 Hi and thanks for the visit. If you're new here you may want to subscribe to my feed. Share Fiji Petrel Interview. = Fiji Petrel. First photograph. The Tubenose project. Hadoram Shirihai. Fiji Petrel. First photograph. The Tubenose project. Hadoram Shirihai. More