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Volume 53, No. 1

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White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis feeding on a dead dolphin


Authors

FABIO SCHUNCK1, RITA SOUZA2, DANIEL N. DONADIO3, LEANDRO CORREA4, RODRIGO BICUDO5, MIGUEL OLIVEIRA DE SOUZA6, PEDRO GIOVANI CUNHA E SILVA7, ELENICE DIAS8, EVAIR LEGAL9, & FABIO BARATA8
1Comitê Brasileiro de Registros Ornitológicos - CBRO. Av. Eugênio Bartolomai, 386, São Paulo, São Paulo, 04785-040, Brazil (fabio_schunck@yahoo.com.br)
2Independent Researcher, Largo do Paissandu, 100, São Paulo, São Paulo, 01034-010, Brazil
3Instituto GREMAR, Estrada Alexandre Migues Rodrigues, 916, Guarujá, São Paulo, 11420-120, Brazil
4Ambiá Consultoria, Rua Tenente Mesquita, 57, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 24220-060, Brazil
5Fundação Ambiental Área Costeira de Itapema - FAACI, Rua 106, 165, Itapema, Santa Catarina, 88220-000, Brazil
6Conectar Ambiental, Rua Dr. Brasílio Machado Neto, 294, Bertioga, São Paulo, 11256-035, Brazil
7Independent Researcher, Rua Renato de Ávila, 171, Blumenau, Santa Catarina, 89057-490, Brazil
8Mochileiros - Hostel e Observação de aves, Rua Manoel Raimundo, 495, Peruíbe, São Paulo, 11750-000, Brazil
9Ecoama Ambiental, Rua Antônio Treis, 607, sala 404, Blumenau, Santa Catarina, 89015-400, Brazil

Citation

Schunck, F., Souza, R., Donadio, D. N., Correa, L., Bicudo, R., Souza, M. O., Silva, P. G. C., Dias, E., Leal, E., & Barata, F. 2025. White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis feeding on a dead dolphin. Marine Ornithology 53: 185 - 187
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.53.1.1633

Received 26 August 2024, accepted 25 November 2024

Date Published: 2025/04/15
Date Online: 2025/04/17
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Key words: Atlantic Ocean, conservation, foraging behavior, ocean birds, scavenging

Abstract

The White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis is an opportunistic forager that often follows fishing boats to feed upon scraps or escaped/discarded fish. Although its diet in non-breeding areas is not well understood, studies of stomach contents indicate that its diet consists of fish, crustaceans, and squid. In June 2024, during a pelagic birding trip off the coast of Santa Catarina State, Brazil, a White-chinned Petrel was spotted feeding on the floating carcass of a Franciscana Dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei. This behavior has not been previously documented in the literature, online citizen science platforms, or by personal observation. We believe this to be an uncommon, opportunistic feeding strategy for this petrel species.

References


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Search by author or title:

Browse previous volumes:

Volumes > 38 (2010-->)

Volumes 28-37 (2000-09)

Volumes 18-27 (1990-99)

Volumes 5-17 (1978-89) a.k.a 'Cormorant'