Data Zone
Taxonomic note
Hydrobates leucorhous has been split into H. leucorhous, H. socorroensis and H. cheimomnestes (which see) (Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International 2018), based on the proposal of Howell (2012).
Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2018. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 3. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v3_Nov18.zip.
Howell, N. G. 2012. Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | A2bce+3bce+4bce |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Vulnerable | A2bce+3bce+4bce |
| 2016 | Not Recognised | |
| 2012 | Not Recognised | |
| 2008 | Not Recognised | |
| 2004 | Not Recognised | |
| 2000 | Not Recognised | |
| 1994 | Not Recognised | |
| 1988 | Not Recognised |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | 37 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 337,000,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 6700000-8300000 mature individuals | medium | estimated | 2016 |
| Population trend | decreasing | - | estimated | 1997-2036 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 30-40% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 30-40% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 30-40% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 13 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: Brooke (2004) estimated the global population to number >20,000,000 individuals. Based on the compilation of available data the current population comprises 6.7-8.3 million breeding pairs; 40-48% of these breed in the Atlantic basin and 52-60% in the Pacific. Throughout the western Atlantic (>90% of basin total), populations are declining, including at Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland, Canada, home to the largest colony. The population at Baccalieu Island, estimated at 3.3 million breeding pairs in 1984 (Sklepkovych and Montevecchi 1989), had declined to 2.02 million pairs by 2013 (Environment Canada unpublished data), and the former second and third regionally largest colonies have declined by >50% since the late 1990s (Wilhelm et al. 2015, Environment Canada unpublished data). In the eastern Atlantic, the population at St. Kilda is also declining, this being the largest colony in the UK and Ireland (Newson et al. 2008). Population trends in the Pacific are less well known. In Alaska, where Leach’s Hydrobates leucorhous and Fork-tailed Storm-petrels H. furactus are largely combined for monitoring purposes, population trends are stable or increasing (Slater and Byrd 2009, Dragoo et al. 2016), the large population at Daikoku Island, Japan may have declined since 1982, while trends of western North American and Russian populations are unknown. Despite these knowledge gaps, compiling available data collected between 1977 and 2016, representing 75-80% of the global population (including Europe, eastern North America, and Japan), points to a decline of ≥30% over three generations (39 years, based on a generation length estimated by BirdLife to be 13 years).
Definitive information on Leach’s Storm-petrel population decline comes mainly from colonies within the Atlantic basin. Recent genetics research indicates that while there is no genetic structure among Atlantic colonies, populations within the Atlantic and the Pacific are genetically distinct (Bicknell et al. 2012). Evidence of movement of pre-breeding birds among colonies within the Atlantic, led to the conclusion that North Atlantic birds may be operating as a metapopulation and that management of this species may be best viewed at an oceanic scale (Bicknell et al. 2012, 2014).
Trend justification: Data collected from 1977 to 2016 representing 75-80% of the global population, points to a decline of ≥30% over three generations (Huntingdon et al. 1996, Lormee et al. 2012, BirdLife International 2015, Environment Canada unpublished data, Japanese Ministry of Environment, unpublished data). The cause(s) of declines are unknown, but are likely multi-faceted and further research is needed to inform conservation actions.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Angola | extant | native | ||||
| Anguilla (to UK) | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Antarctica | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Antigua and Barbuda | extant | native | ||||
| Argentina | extant | native | ||||
| Australia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Austria | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Bahamas | extant | native | ||||
| Barbados | extant | native | ||||
| Belgium | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Belize | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Benin | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Bermuda (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) | extant | native | ||||
| Brazil | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cameroon | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Canada | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cape Verde | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | extant | uncertain | ||||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | ||||
| Colombia | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Congo | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Costa Rica | extant | native | yes | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Cuba | extant | native | ||||
| Curaçao (to Netherlands) | extant | native | ||||
| Denmark | extant | native | yes | |||
| Dominica | extant | native | ||||
| Dominican Republic | extant | native | ||||
| Ecuador | extant | native | ||||
| Egypt | extant | vagrant | ||||
| El Salvador | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Equatorial Guinea | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Estonia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Finland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| France | extant | native | yes | |||
| French Guiana | extant | native | ||||
| French Polynesia | extant | native | ||||
| French Southern Territories | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Gabon | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Gambia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Germany | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Ghana | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Grenada | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Guadeloupe (to France) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guam (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guatemala | extant | native | ||||
| Guinea | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Guinea-Bissau | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Guyana | extant | native | ||||
| Haiti | extant | native | ||||
| Honduras | extant | native | ||||
| Iceland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Ireland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Israel | extant | native | yes | |||
| Italy | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Jamaica | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Japan | extant | native | ||||
| Kenya | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Kiribati | extant | native | ||||
| Latvia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Lebanon | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Liberia | extant | native | ||||
| Luxembourg | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Maldives | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Malta | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Marshall Islands | extant | native | yes | |||
| Martinique (to France) | extant | native | ||||
| Mauritania | extant | native | ||||
| Mexico | extant | native | ||||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Montserrat (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Morocco | extant | native | ||||
| Namibia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Nauru | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Netherlands | extant | native | yes | |||
| New Zealand | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Nicaragua | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Nigeria | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Norway | extant | native | yes | |||
| Palestine | extant | native | yes | |||
| Panama | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Peru | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Poland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Portugal | extant | native | yes | |||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | extant | native | ||||
| Russia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (Asian) | extant | native | ||||
| São Tomé e Príncipe | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Senegal | extant | native | ||||
| Seychelles | extant | native | ||||
| Sierra Leone | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Sint Maarten (to Netherlands) | extant | native | ||||
| South Africa | extant | native | yes | |||
| Spain | extant | native | yes | |||
| St Helena (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| St Kitts and Nevis | extant | native | ||||
| St Lucia | extant | native | ||||
| St Martin (to France) | extant | native | ||||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | extant | native | ||||
| Sudan | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Suriname | extant | native | ||||
| Sweden | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Switzerland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Togo | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | extant | native | ||||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Tuvalu | extant | uncertain | ||||
| United Arab Emirates | extant | uncertain | ||||
| United Kingdom | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Uruguay | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| USA | extant | native | yes | |||
| Venezuela | extant | native | ||||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Western Sahara | extant | uncertain |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|---|
| Canada | Baccalieu Island |
| Canada | Bon Portage Island |
| Canada | Corbin Island |
| Canada | Country Island Complex |
| Canada | Duke of Edinburgh Ecological Reserve |
| Canada | Gillam Island |
| Canada | Green Island |
| Canada | Solander Island and Brooks Bay |
| Canada | Witless Bay Islands |
| Iceland | Vestmannaeyjar |
| Ireland | Stags of Broadhaven |
| Japan | Daikoku islet |
| Japan | Eastern Hokkaido - Marine |
| Russia (Asian) | Kuril islands (between Urup and Paramushir) |
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | Grand Colombier Island |
| United Kingdom | Flannan Isles |
| United Kingdom | Foula |
| United Kingdom | North Rona and Sula Sgeir |
| United Kingdom | North Sutherland Coastal Islands |
| United Kingdom | Ramna Stacks and Gruney |
| United Kingdom | St Kilda |
| USA | Buldir Island Colony |
| USA | Cherni Island Complex Colonies |
| USA | Forrester Island Colonies |
| USA | Goat Island NWR |
| USA | Mack Reef |
| USA | Semidi Islands Colonies |
| USA | St Lazaria Island Colony |
| USA | Umnak Pass Colonies |
| USA | Whalehead Island NWR |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | major | breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Rapid Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Mus musculus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Unspecified species | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Rapid Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Catharacta skua | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Larus argentatus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents - Oil spills | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Leach's Storm-petrel Hydrobates leucorhous. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/leachs-storm-petrel-hydrobates-leucorhous on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.