Beck's petrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beck's petrel |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pseudobulweria
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| Species: |
becki
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| Synonyms | |
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Pterodroma becki |
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The Beck's petrel (Pseudobulweria becki) is a small seabird. It belongs to a group of birds called petrels. This bird was named after an American bird expert, Rollo Beck. For a long time, people thought this petrel might be extinct. It was only known from two birds found many years ago. But in the 2000s, new sightings proved they were still alive! Scientists believe they build their nests on small, tall islands near Melanesia. Even though they have been seen, the Beck's petrel is still considered critically endangered by the IUCN. This means they are at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
What Does It Look Like?
The Beck's petrel has dark brown feathers on its back. Its head and throat are also dark brown. Underneath its wings, it is dark. You can see a clear white stripe on its wings. Its belly and chest are white. When it flies over the ocean, its wings are straight. They bend back a little at the tips.
A Mystery Solved: The Petrel's Story
For many years, the Beck's petrel was a big mystery. Only two birds had ever been found. One was a female bird found near New Ireland, PNG in 1928. The other was a male bird found near Rendova, Solomon Islands in 1929. After that, no one saw them for a long time.
Then, in 2005, something exciting happened. A bird guide named Richard Baxter took a photo of a bird. He thought it might be a Beck's petrel. This was in Australia's Coral Sea. He noticed it was much smaller than the similar Tahiti petrel. It also had a lighter throat and shorter, wider wings. At first, experts were not sure if it was really a Beck's petrel. This was because no living ones had been seen.
More sightings of birds like the Beck's petrel were reported. These were seen near the Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Islands. Finally, an Israeli bird expert, Hadoram Shirihai, confirmed the bird was still alive. He had seen some of these birds in 2003. He went back to the area in 2007. There, he saw and photographed about 30 birds! He saw both young and adult petrels. Many were seen near Cape St George, New Ireland. A bird that had recently died was collected. This was the third specimen ever found. It gave clear proof that these mysterious petrels still existed.
In 2010, another amazing event happened. A live Beck's petrel landed on a cruise ship! The ship's lights had confused the bird during its night flight. This happened between New Zealand and New Guinea. The bird was carefully checked. The next day, it was set free.
Where Do They Nest?
Scientists still do not know where Beck's petrels build their nests. This is called their breeding grounds. Most information suggests they might nest in the southern Bismarck Archipelago. However, petrels are known to travel far. They often move away from their nesting areas after their young birds can fly. It is still most likely that they nest in Melanesia. This area is southeast of New Guinea. This idea was first thought of when the bird was discovered.
