Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population is estimated to number more than 6 million individuals (Brooke 2004), which equates to more than 4 million mature individuals.
Trend justification
The species is undergoing a large, significant increase (Partners in Flight 2019), as several islands have been recolonised following the eradication of introduced predators.
This species is found throughout the North Pacific, with sites ranging from the Californian coast (U.S.A.) in the east, the Alaskan coast in the north and the Kuril Islands (Russia) in the west. Outside the breeding season, it disperses over adjacent waters.
The Fork-tailed Storm-petrel breeds on offshore islands in grassy areas, on rocky hillsides or amongst trees, sometimes far from sea (del Hoyo et al. 1992). It generally forages on continental shelves (Crossin 1974, Harris 1974), foraging closer to the shore whilst breeding (Boersma et al. 1980). Despite foraging in nearshore areas, chicks frequently go unfed for several nights (Boersma et al. 1980). Its diet comprises mainly planktonic crustaceans, small fish and squid, and it can feed on the wing or by surface-seizing (del Hoyo et al. 1992).
Predation by introduced species is severely impacting this abundant species on a few breeding islands. The Arctic Fox is considered to be the most damaging introduced predator and may have caused the extirpation of the Fork-tailed Storm-petrel on several islands. Eradication efforts have resulted in recolonisations at some sites (Carboneras et al. 2018).
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Butchart, S., Calvert, R., Ekstrom, J., Fjagesund, T., Martin, R. & Stuart, A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Fork-tailed Storm-petrel Hydrobates furcatus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/fork-tailed-storm-petrel-hydrobates-furcatus on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.