Herald (Trindade) Petrel - South Carolina/Georgia Border

On 27 June an ABA Code-3 'Trindade Petrel' (Pterodroma arminjoniana) [a subspecies of Herald Petrel in the ABA Checklist and in the Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World], was photographed nicely offshore from the South Carolina/Georgia border from a research ship www.flickr.com/photos/bonxie88/5880434415/in/photostream/.  Depending on how the ABA listing rules apply (or how the Georgia and South Carolina state listing rules will be interpreted) this would be a first state record for either/both states.

'Trindade Petrel' is one of six large subtropical Pterodroma petrels posing identification challenges. Trindade and Herald petrels are very similar in appearance and both are polymorphic with dark, white, and intermediate belly colors. 'Trindade Petrel' breeds on Round Island in the Indian Ocean and on Trindade Island and Martin Vaz Rocks in the South Atlantic.  In North Carolina, they been recorded from May-late September.

The species (Herald Petrel) was first recorded in the ABA Area in Tompkins County, New York, on 22 August 1933.  Of considerable taxonomic debate, many authors consider Herald Petrel (Pterodroma heraldic) to be a species that breeds on islands in the Coral Sea, New Caledonia, Samoa, Marquesas Islands, Easter Islands, Pitcairn's Islands, and others.  Unlike 'Trindade Petrel', Herald Petrel is thought to undergo post-breeding dispersal to 30 degrees south, but there are a few records of vagrancy to the Hawaiian Islands and other spots north of the Equator (Albatrosses, Petrels & Shearwaters of the World, Onley and Scofield). 

Although the ABA, Clements (Cornell Lab), and AOU still consider 'Trindade Petrel' (name comes from a small group of islets off of northeastern Brazil) a subspecies of Herald Petrel, differences in plumage and morphology argue for full-species status.  Correctly pronouncing Trindade is an issue somewhat similar to correctly pronouncing jacana.

Comments

[Nate Dias]

Seems that Trindade Petrel was seen in 'South Carolina pelagic waters', as defined by the US Supreme Court case: Georgia v. South Carolina 497 U.S. 376 (1990)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_v._South_Carolina

http://supreme.justia.com/us/497/376/case.html

The Trindade Petrel spotted by the same observer 24 hours later was due east of South Carolina, but was in 'North Carolina pelagic waters'.