Proposal (1064) to South American Classification Committee

Add Pterodroma axillaris (Chatham Petrel) to main list

Effect on South American CL: This transfers a species from the Hypothetical List to the main List as a Vagrant species.

Background: Pterodroma axillaris has been recorded off the Peruvian coasts (Flood et al. 2024). The record has been revised by the Peruvian birds records committee and accepted to the Peru list (CRAP 2024).

Records with evidence (text from the CRAP 2024 report):

On 20 Nov 2024 at approximately 09:20, B. Flood, K. Zufelt and others observed, and Zufelt photographed a small Pterodroma petrel at sea c.291 km west-southwest of the Paracas Peninsula (14°53.50’S / 78°53.22’W, 0 m). The bird approached the yacht from the north. It passed close to the port side where it banked and revealed the diagnostic underwing pattern of Chatham Petrel. The bird then moved away from the yacht towards a small group of Masatierra Petrels (Pterodroma defilippiana) and interacted with them, then returning and passed by the stern before meandering off to the southwest. The photographs provide excellent views of plumage and structure (Flood et al. 2024). The committee accepted the record as the first documented record for Peru and a vagrant by seven votes in favor with one member not voting.

Recommendation: YES on this proposal.

Literature cited

Comité de Registros de Aves Peruanas (CRAP) (2024). Reporte del Comité de Registros de Aves Peruanas (CRAP) del periodo 2024 / Report of the Peruvian Bird Records Committee 2024. Boletín de la Unión de Ornitólogos del Perú (UNOP), 19(1): 42-58.

Flood, R. L. Gill, D., Rogers, C., Ryan, J. Shemilt, J. & K. Zufelt (2024). A Chatham Petrel Pterodroma axillaris in Peruvian waters, December 2023. Cotinga 46 pp 83-84.

Fernando Angulo Pratolongo, October 2025

Vote tracking chart:

https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCPropChart1044+.htm

Comments from Claramunt: “YES. The diagnostic features are perfectly seen in the photograph and the record is well within 200 nautical miles of the coasts.”

Comments from Robbins: “YES. Those are excellent photos in the Flood et al. article that show the diagnostic characters for Chatham Petrel Pterodroma axillaris. Wish all petrels were that distinct. A Yes for adding to the SACC list.”

Comments from Remsen: “YES. Although I know little about ID of Pterodroma species other than what I can determine from field guides, that underwing pattern seems to be absolutely diagnostic, certainly one of the most distinctive Pterodroma. In fact, I think it would be over-kill to ask for an outside expert guest vote; Kirk Zufelt, co-author on the paper, is also a co-author with Steve Howell on Oceanic Birds of the World. A Photo Guide.”

Comments from Lane: YES. My comments from CRAP: "YES. This was a species that only blipped on my radar when I saw mention of a sighting “off Peru” (and wrote up a CRAP report on it then, but it was outside the territorial waters of Peru, so it was not accepted). Now, with a documented report in the territorial waters, I think it is easy to accept the record-- the photo supporting the identification—and add it to the country’s list as Vagrant. Perhaps with more efforts along the Peruvian coast, more records will show it to be regular."