Submission No 229: Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea; Macquarie Island, 15 July 1994. Submitted by Paul Schofield.

Verdict: Accepted

A specimen record referencing a bird picked up from the southern end of Macquarie Island, below the slopes of Mt. Haswell (540 46'S 1580 49'E) 15 July 1994. The specimen was frozen and returned to Australia where it was later examined.

The specimen was missing its entire head and feathers from the belly & mantle. Remaining feathers were mostly white with the rectrix and remige shafts described as pale cream. The outer webs of the outer three primaries showing a distinct dark grey wash to the outer 2-3cm. Light grey vermiculations were noted on the rectrices, remiges and coverts, being particularly pronounced on the primaries. Dark grey underdown was reported to be dense and particularly prominent at the carpel joint of the upperwing. It was suggested that the colour of the tarsi and feet were deteriorated due to drying after death, with the left appearing pink with a blue wash and the right pinkish brown. Both feet having black claws. Measurements taken include: wing length 255mm (using flattened chord technique), tarsus 32.9mm, mid-toe 36.7mm and the mid-toe & claw 42.9mm. The submission correctly points out that these measurements indicate that this specimen is likely to be of the small subspecies P.n.nivea. (Marchant & Higgins 1990).

Verification of the record and confirmation of the claimed identity has been established by the Tasmanian Museum where this specimen is now held (Specimen: B4668) the committee therefore has no hesitation in accepting this record.

The Snow Petrel is normally confined to areas south of the Antarctic Convergence with records further north in Australian waters confined to a record from Heard Island in the winter of 1948 (Gilchrist 1952) and a confirmed sight record of two birds west of Macquarie Island 7 October 1994 (BARC case No.228). This being the 2nd record of this species accepted by the committee.

References and Bibliography

• Gilchrist, 1952. Snow petrels on Heard Island. Emu 52:201-205.
• HANZAB: Marchant, S. & P.J. Higgins (1990). The Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 1, part A, Ratities to Petrels. Oxford University Press; Melbourne.
• Birds Australia Rarities Committee, Case No: 228

Tony Palliser
Chairman Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)