PETRELS IN SRI LANKA

 

 A SHORT NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THREE PETRELS IN SRI LANKA

 

Rex I. De Silva

 

Reefcomber@gmx.com

 

 

 

This paper discusses the writer's observations of three species of Petrels from Sri Lanka in the last decade of the Twentieth Century. 

Barau’s Petrel Pterodroma baraui

 

In 1989, A. B. van den Berg informed me that he had observed several individuals of Barau’s Petrel and other species in 1984/85 in the northern Indian Ocean, south of Sri Lanka but well outside the Island's territorial waters. His sightings were published subsequently  in Ardea. Being aware of van den Berg’s sightings, I was always on the alert for the species. Observing from Wellawatte, I twice sighted individual Barau’s Petrels in early September 1991. These are the first and second records of the species from Sri Lanka. Subsequently, a third sighting was made of four birds at Mutwal, Colombo by others. In recent years there have been more sightings mainly from the northwest. 

 

White-headed Petrel Pterodroma lessonii

 

In September 1990, while observing seabirds at Wellawatte, Colombo (79˚ 51’ 20” E, 6˚ 52’ 33” N.), I observed White-headed Petrels on three separate occasions. This observation is exceptionally interesting as the species is an inhabitant of the southern temperate oceans and has previously not been observed north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Fortunately, the bird is very distinctive, being one of the few species in the region, which has white underparts, a characteristic it shares with the next species (Soft-plumaged petrel). It is, however, easily distinguished from the latter by its white head and tail and prominent dark eyepatch.  It is not unusual for birds from the southern oceans to visit Sri Lanka occasionally, as Wilson’s Storm Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) and Brown Skuas (Catharacta lonnbergi) are regular visitors; the former in large and the latter in small numbers. As there are no recent sightings of White-headed Petrels from Sri Lanka, it will be useful if birders are on the alert for this distinctive species.

                      White-headed Petrel (Image courtesy Bengt Danielsson)                     

                                                                   

Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma Mollis

 

The writer observed Soft-plumaged Petrels on four occasions in the first two weeks of September 1988. Only one bird was seen at a time, (hence, it is not impossible that the same bird was reobserved). All sightings were made from the seafront at Wellawatte using a telescope at 30x. My paper, was refereed by the renowned authority on seabirds Dr. W.R.P Bourne and published in Sea Swallow (Journal of the Royal Naval Birdwatching Society, U.K.) As there are no subsequent sightings from Sri Lanka, it will be useful if birders are on the alert for the species.

 

 

 

 

Text revised 4 August 2020. © Rex De Silva