Leach's Storm-Petrel
From Natural History of Southeast Alaska
Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) Abundant breeder at St. Lazaria, not typically observed. Presumably foraging occurs well off-shore and approach to nests on land occurs at night.
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Common | ? | ? |
Best observed at: St. Lazaria
Observed at: St. Lazaria, Nakwasina, Vitskari Rock
Breeding Status: Common
Family: Hydrobatidae
Breeding Habitats: St. Lazaria, Offshore, Pelagic
Documented in the Sitka area
J Dan Webster
Presumably offshore resident, but the only records are of nesting birds at island colonies. Population studies (Sowls et al 1982; Nelson and Lehnhausen 1983; Nelson if al 1987) made in 1981 and 1982 indicated 131,000 breeding pairs on St. Lazaria, 900 to 1,300 on Sealion Islands, less than 500 on Hazy Islands and a small numbers on Wooden Island. J. and J. W. Mailliard (MS from 1896), Willett (1914), Sowls et al (1982), Nelson and Lehnhausen (1983), Nelson et al (1987) and I examined nests and eggs on St. Lazaria in years from 1896 to 1984. In October 1976 L. L. Johnson found “many dead following heavy offshore storm in the Sitka Sound” (not clear where, precisely, the dead birds were found; Kessel and Gibson MS). (See entry for Great Horned Owl.) I have examined many specimens from all localities along the Pacific Coast (Aleutian Islands to Baja CA) and disagree with Ainley (1980) and Gibson (1997); beali is a valid race.
