15 September 2005

A Press Release from the

BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION RECORDS COMMITTEE
and


BRITISH BIRDS RARITIES COMMITTEE


Fea's Petrel (Pterodroma feae)
At sea, c. 60 miles south-west of the Isles of Scilly

20 August
2001




Admitted to Category A of the British List


The British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee has admitted
Fea's Petrel (Pterodroma feae) to Category A of the British List
following the acceptance of an individual seen c. 60 miles south-
west of the Isles of Scilly on 12 August 2001 (sight record,
photographed). It was observed by over 300 birders taking part on
the MV Scillonian III pelagic for an hour and twenty minutes.



Identification of the 'soft-plumaged petrel' group is problematic,
and separation of Fea's Petrel from the extremely similar Zino's
Petrel (Pterodroma Madeira) represents one of the most difficult
identification challenges for British birders. Minute but diagnostic
differences in bill structure, not normally discernible in field
conditions, can however be determined from high quality photographs.
Bill measurements of the two species do not overlap, but there is as
little as 1 mm difference between the bills of largest Zino's and
the smallest Fea's.



This record was supported by excellent still photographs (by Gary
Bellingham and others) which enabled both BBRC and BOURC to examine
in detail the diagnostic bill structure and positive identification
as Fea's Petrel and unanimous acceptance as the first British record
of this species.



Eric Meek, Chairman of BOURC commented "The supporting photographic
evidence was crucial in the assessment of this record, and these
left members of BOURC certain of the identification. Pterodroma
petrels have been occurring with increasing frequency in British
waters and a definite identification was probably only a matter of
time. However, inevitably, the great majority of records will have
to remain as 'either/ors'"



NOTE - a record of one observed on 8 July 2001 seven miles south of
the Isles of Scilly is still under consideration.



The British List now stands at 570 species

(Category A = 548; Category B = 12; Category C = 10).