A question definitely worth asking, but there are differences. Vanuatu is
10% smaller with a more wedge-shaped and pointed tail but wing lengths are
proportionately similar as are wing/tail ratios. Vanuatu has longer
tail/bill and tail/tarsus ratios but this is of no help in the field.
White-necked has wingspan similar to Wedge-tailed Shearwater but is shorter
in overall length so both should look smaller, Vanuatu considerably so.
Experience and closer views than obtainable from shore probably required to
distinguish on more subtle features such as bill size, relatively smaller
than White-necked, NOT LARGER as stated in Onley & Scofield. More
importantly, I would be happy to call a bird that has white bases to
under-primaries a White-necked Petrel but individuals appearing dusky in
that region could be either species.
I can't agree that Vanuatu is more likely. There are more Australian
specimens of White-necked, they breed on Norfolk Is which is closer than
Vanuatu, and world population is large and expanding whereas population of
Vanuatu Petrel must be tiny if it still exists. Who was your source?
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
From: "Tony Palliser" <>
To: "'Edwin Vella'" <>; "'Birding-aus'"
<>
Edwin,
Clearly a fantastic sea-watch, but without wishing to appear "cocky" how
are you separating White-necked Petrel from Vanuatu Petrel now that the
two are split (following the 2008 Christidis & Boles taxonomy)? I have
been informed by one source that Vanuatu is the more likely?
As much as it pains me, I have removed White-necked Petrel from my list
for the time being.
Cheers
Tony
From:
On Behalf Of Edwin Vella
Sent: Saturday, 9 February 2008 10:12 PM
This afternoon (9/2/08), David Mitford, Graham Buchan and I, enjoyed a
good afternoon's sea watching from Magic Pt in Maroubra (approx. 10km
south
of the Sydney CBD).
Further offshore from Magic Pt, winds appeared to be much stronger,
driving in 2 species of Albatross including a nice adult Wandering and one
or
two Black-browed Albatrosses (both species seen on 2 to 3 occasions during
the afternoon), a WHITE-NECKED PETREL, 2 Sooty Shearwaters and many other
interesting sea birds.
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