Conservation and Management

In 2018, BirdLife International reaffirmed the species as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, because of its “very small, fragmented and declining breeding range and population” (91 BirdLife International (2021). Species factsheet: Pterodroma hasitata. http://www.birdlife.org on 14/10/2021. Close ). In 2024, the Black-capped Petrel was listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, as it is considered in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The estimate given for the global population has remained at 2,000–4,000 birds. Five-year follow-up radar surveys in 2017 (Hispaniola) and 2020 (Dominica) do suggest population declines are ongoing (81 Brown, A. (2017). Radar Surveys, Nest Monitoring and Conservation of the Black-capped Petrel on Hispaniola: February 2017. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close , 44 Brown, A. (2020). Radar surveys for Black-capped Petrels on Dominica: results from an expedition during January and February 2020. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close ), as does loss of suitable habitat in Hispaniola, including at known nesting areas (67 Satgé, Y. G., E. Rupp, A. Brown, and P. G. R. Jodice (2020). Habitat modelling locates nesting areas of the Endangered Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata on Hispaniola and identifies habitat loss. Bird Conservation International 31:573-590 Close ).

Wheeler et al. (2 Wheeler, J., Y. Satgé, A. Brown, J. Goetz, B. Keitt, H. Nevins, and E. Rupp (2021). Black-capped Petrel Conservation Update and Action Plan: Conserving the Diablotin. International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group. Close ) provides a threat assessment based on field documentation from 2010–2021 and earlier descriptions of hazards to the species (5 Simons, T. R., D. S. Lee, and J. C. Haney (2013). Diablotin Pterodroma hasitata: a biography of the endangered Black-capped Petrel. Marine Ornithology 41:S3–S43. Close , 92 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2018). Species status assessment report for the Black-capped petrel (Pterodroma hasitata). Version 1.1. June 2018. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA, USA. Close , 93 BirdLife International (2018). Pterodroma hasitata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22698092A132624510. Close ). Among threats of direct mortality, predation by introduced mammals was rated as a High threat in all nesting locations. Fire mortality and tower collisions and groundings were high for some locations. The threats of nesting habitat degradation and loss due to agricultural expansion were Very High at nesting sites in Haiti. Other threats to habitat considered High in some locations were expansion of grazing, rooting feral pigs, and collection of forest resources. For threats to Black-capped Petrels at sea, threats that directly affected foraging birds (adults and subadults) and, indirectly, their offspring on land, were assessed. All marine threats were rated Medium or Low; there is, however, a notable amount of uncertainty associated with marine exposures and impacts.

Habitat Loss and Degradation

Agricultural Expansion

All remaining habitat in Haiti is adjacent to human communities. Observed deforestation at known and probable Haitian nesting sites is primarily for row crop agriculture, undertaken by people who struggle economically and lack environmental knowledge and, as a result, use unsustainable agronomic techniques. Estimates of existing forest cover and conversion of land to agriculture vary depending on data sources and classification, but there is widespread agreement that Haiti has suffered significant deforestation and agricultural land degradation (94 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2010). Global forest resources assessment 2010: Main report. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Close , 95 Churches, C. E., P. J. Wampler, W. Sun, and A. J. Smith (2014). Evaluation of forest cover estimates for Haiti using supervised classification of Landsat data. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 30:203–216. Close , 96 Pauleus, O., and T. M. Aide (2020). Haiti has more forest than previously reported: land change 2000–2015. PeerJ 8:p.e9919. Close ).

In all countries, most of the confirmed, probable, or suspected nesting sites fall within protected area boundaries (i.e., national parks and reserves). However, in Haiti, this designation provides no real protection from clearing for agriculture, as land is occupied and worked by citizens. In the Dominican Republic and on other islands, national parks are generally better protected from conversion, although incursions into parks for commercial and subsistence agriculture have occurred.

Expansion of Grazing and Destruction of Burrows by Feral Pigs

In Haiti, the expansion of row crop agriculture into forest areas is often preceded by the use of forested land for livestock grazing. Grazing removes understory vegetation, and burrows can be destroyed by trampling ungulates or rooting feral pigs. Feral pigs can also depredate the burrow occupants (97 Rodríguez, A., J. M. Arcos, V. Bretagnolle, M. P. Dias, N. D. Holmes, M. Louzao, J. Provencher, A. F. Raine, F. Ramírez, B. Rodríguez, R. A. Ronconi, R. S. Taylor, E. Bonnaud, S. B. Borrelle, V. Cortés, S. Descamps, V. L. Friesen, M. Genovart, A. Hedd, P. Hodum, G. R. W. Humphries, M. Le Corre, C. Lebarbenchon, R. Martin, E. F. Melvin, W. A. Montevecchi, P. Pinet, I. L. Pollet, R. Ramos, J. C. Russell, P. G. Ryan, A. Sanz-Aguilar, D. R. Spatz, M. Travers, S. C. Votier, R. M. Wanless, E. Woehler, and A. Chiaradia (2019). Future directions in conservation research on petrels and shearwaters. Frontiers in Marine Science 6: article 94. Close ); feral pig presence was most notable at Loma Quemada (Dominican Republic), Dominica, and Guadeloupe.

Fire Damage to Habitat and Invasive Ferns

Fires lit intentionally (for clearing underbrush) are rarely big enough to destroy trees or burrows, but they may pave the way for agriculture or facilitate the spread of invasive vegetation. The invasive fern Dicranopteris pectinata is particularly noted in the Valle Nuevo nesting area in the Dominican Republic; these fern thickets are too dense for petrel use and are an obstruction to field teams (E. Rupp, personal observation).

Fire Mortality

Petrels may die in natural or intentional forest fires affecting nesting areas; fires can be fatal to adults, chicks, or eggs in burrows depending on severity. In addition, petrels are attracted to large fires burning at night during peak breeding season and there are documented cases of as many as 100 petrels being killed by flying into fires (98 International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group (IBPCG) (2014). Mid-Year Update on Current Activities. June 2014. Close , 85 Brown, A., and A. Jean (2019). Black-capped Petrel nest monitoring in Parc National La Visite, Haiti: 2019 breeding season. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close ). In early 2021, forest fires of high-intensity threatened colonies on the Haiti-Dominican border; camera traps on confirmed nests captured images of smoke and flames, which destroyed nearby buildings and towers (99 International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group (IBPCG) (2021). Annual Update on Activities. June 2021. Close ).

Wood Harvest and Non-timber Forest Product Collection

In addition to livestock grazing, expansion of row crop agriculture into forest areas is often preceded by the harvest of wood and other forest products. These practices appear to be less damaging to petrel habitat than tilling, but cause gradual deforestation and/or disturbance. In La Visite, Haiti, the recent harvest of live tree ferns (sold for landscaping purposes) has impacted Black-capped Petrel reproduction (84 Jean, A., T. Louis, R. Jeune, L. Raymond, and A. Brown (2018). Black-capped Petrel nest monitoring in Parc National La Visite, Haiti: 2018 breeding season. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close ).

Effects of Invasive Species

Introduced mammals that are known to prey on petrel species are present at all confirmed, probable, and suspected nesting sites within the Caribbean (100 Threatened Island Biodiversity Database Partners (2018). The Threatened Island Biodiversity Database: developed by Island Conservation,University of California Santa Cruz Coastal Conservation Action Lab, BirdLife International and IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group. Version 2018. Close ). The introduced mammals that have been documented by camera trap or human observation at confirmed petrel nesting sites in Hispaniola include Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), black rat (R. rattus), Javan mongoose (Herpestes javanicus), domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), domestic cats (Felis domesticus), and feral pigs (Sus scrofa) (80 Rupp, E., and E. Garrido (2016). Report July 2016, #709M, Black‐capped Petrel Conservation 2015‐2016. Unpublished report from Grupo Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Close , 82 Rupp, E. (2017). Interim Report August 2017, #1715 C, Black-capped Petrel Conservation 2017. Unpublished report from Grupo Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Close , 83 Rupp, E. (2018). Report August 2018, #709 P, Black-capped Petrel Conservation. Unpublished report from Grupo Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Close , 84 Jean, A., T. Louis, R. Jeune, L. Raymond, and A. Brown (2018). Black-capped Petrel nest monitoring in Parc National La Visite, Haiti: 2018 breeding season. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close , 85 Brown, A., and A. Jean (2019). Black-capped Petrel nest monitoring in Parc National La Visite, Haiti: 2019 breeding season. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close ).

Monitoring at Hispaniolan sites has shown that the presence of cats and mongoose can cause reproductive failure of an entire colony (83 Rupp, E. (2018). Report August 2018, #709 P, Black-capped Petrel Conservation. Unpublished report from Grupo Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Close , 85 Brown, A., and A. Jean (2019). Black-capped Petrel nest monitoring in Parc National La Visite, Haiti: 2019 breeding season. Unpublished report. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, Green Cove Springs, FL, USA. Close ). Predation by rats has not been documented, but based on work with other Pterodroma, they probably are predators of eggs and young chicks. Direct mortality of adult petrels by dogs was documented at two confirmed sites in late 2020 and early 2021 (99 International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group (IBPCG) (2021). Annual Update on Activities. June 2021. Close ). Although not yet documented for Black-capped Petrel, depredation by cats is likely; in other parts of the world, single cats have caused numerous adult fatalities (101 Faulquier, L., R. Fontaine, E. Vidal, M. Salamolard, and M. Le Corre (2009). Feral cats Felis catus threaten the endangered endemic Barau’s petrel Pterodroma baraui at Reunion Island (Western Indian Ocean). Waterbirds 32:330–336. Close ; A. Raine, personal communication). Rooting feral pigs destroy petrel burrows and can depredate burrow occupants (97 Rodríguez, A., J. M. Arcos, V. Bretagnolle, M. P. Dias, N. D. Holmes, M. Louzao, J. Provencher, A. F. Raine, F. Ramírez, B. Rodríguez, R. A. Ronconi, R. S. Taylor, E. Bonnaud, S. B. Borrelle, V. Cortés, S. Descamps, V. L. Friesen, M. Genovart, A. Hedd, P. Hodum, G. R. W. Humphries, M. Le Corre, C. Lebarbenchon, R. Martin, E. F. Melvin, W. A. Montevecchi, P. Pinet, I. L. Pollet, R. Ramos, J. C. Russell, P. G. Ryan, A. Sanz-Aguilar, D. R. Spatz, M. Travers, S. C. Votier, R. M. Wanless, E. Woehler, and A. Chiaradia (2019). Future directions in conservation research on petrels and shearwaters. Frontiers in Marine Science 6: article 94. Close ); feral pig presence is most notable at Loma Quemada (Dominican Republic), Dominica, and Guadeloupe.

Shooting and Trapping

Systematic harvest of Black-capped Petrel as a food source is known only from historical records; planned collection has not been documented in recent times. Petrels killed in fires, or discovered as habitat is being cleared, are sometimes collected for human consumption, but this harvest appears to be purely opportunistic (E. Rupp, J. Goetz, A. Jean, personal communication).

Pesticides and Other Contaminants/Toxics

Black-capped Petrels at sea face a range of suspected threats, but data gaps about exposures and impacts in the marine environment preclude more definitive statements. Petrels at sea may be directly harmed by lethal, discrete marine pollution, notably oil spills (102 Lee, D. S. (1999). Pelagic seabirds and the proposed exploration for fossil fuels off North Carolina: a test for conservation efforts of a vulnerable international resource. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 115:294–315. Close ). Spills are more likely to occur near oil and gas infrastructures in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, but may also happen in dense shipping lanes along the North American coast (103 Camphuysen, C. J., M. S. Dieckhoff, D. M. Fleet, and K. Laursen (2005). Oil pollution and seabirds. In Quality Status Report 2009 Chapter: Thematic Report No. 5.3 (H. Marencic and J. de Vlas, Editors), Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Group, Wilhelmshaven. 19:115–124. Close , 104 Chrastansky, A., U. Callies, and D. M. Fleet (2009). Estimation of the impact of prevailing weather conditions on the occurrence of oil-contaminated dead birds on the German North Sea coast. Environmental Pollution 157:194–198. Close ). Exploration is ongoing in the southeastern Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone, with the possibility of future oil extraction in this area used by some petrels (12 Satgé, Y. G., B. S. Keitt, C. P. Gaskin, J. B. Patteson, and P. G. R. Jodice (2023). Spatial segregation between phenotypes of the diablotin black-capped petrel Pterodroma hasitata during the non-breeding period. Endangered Species Research 51:183-201. Close ).

Collisions with Stationary/Moving Structures or Objects

Communication towers, wind turbines, or other tall, lighted structures, especially those near nesting areas, pose a particular threat for collisions and groundings. Protruding into Black-capped Petrel flyways, lighted towers attract birds participating in courtship flights or commuting in and out of nesting sites. Petrels also collide with hard-to-see supporting cables (guy wires) or fences associated with towers, especially on foggy nights. Mortalities have been documented at towers near La Visite and Loma del Toro nest sites (105 Hardesty Norris, J., and E. Rupp (2012). Interim Report April 2012, USFWS Agreement F11AC00825, Black-Capped Petrel Conservation 2011-2012. Unpublished report from American Bird Conservancy, The Plains, Virginia, USA and Grupo Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Close ).

Black-capped Petrel, like many other seabird species, is highly attracted to light (106 Rodríguez A., N. Holmes, P. Ryan, K. J. Wilson, L. Faulquier, Y. Murillo, A. Raine, J. Penniman, V. Neves, B. Rodríguez, J. J. Negro, A. Chiaradia, P. Dann, T. Anderson, B. Metzger, M. Shirai, L. Deppe, J. Wheeler, P. Hodum, C. Gouveia, V. Carmo, G. Carreira, L. Delgado-Alburqueque, C. Guerra-Correa, F. Couzi, M. Travers, and M. Le Corre (2017) Seabird mortality induced by land-based artificial lights. Conservation Biology 31:986–1001. Close ). A myriad of sources of light pollution from towns and cities may disorient birds as they traverse a flyway, causing collisions or groundings. Fledgling juveniles are more likely to become disoriented as they leave the nesting area for the first time (106 Rodríguez A., N. Holmes, P. Ryan, K. J. Wilson, L. Faulquier, Y. Murillo, A. Raine, J. Penniman, V. Neves, B. Rodríguez, J. J. Negro, A. Chiaradia, P. Dann, T. Anderson, B. Metzger, M. Shirai, L. Deppe, J. Wheeler, P. Hodum, C. Gouveia, V. Carmo, G. Carreira, L. Delgado-Alburqueque, C. Guerra-Correa, F. Couzi, M. Travers, and M. Le Corre (2017) Seabird mortality induced by land-based artificial lights. Conservation Biology 31:986–1001. Close ), but adults are attracted as well, particularly during periods of no moon. Over the last decade, several grounded petrels have been collected around homes and businesses, inland and in coastal towns (E. Rupp, personal communication).

At sea, direct mortality may also result from attraction to and collisions with at-sea structures (e.g., oil platforms, offshore wind farms) especially if lighted or flaring (107 Montevecchi, W. A. (2006). Influences of artificial light on marine birds. In Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting (C. Rich and T. Longcore, Editors). Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 94–113. Close , 23 Jodice P. G. R., P. E. Michael, J. S. Gleason, J. C. Haney, and Y. G. Satgé (2021). Revising the marine range of the endangered black capped petrel Pterodroma hasitata: occurrence in the northern Gulf of Mexico and exposure to conservation threats. Endangered Species Research 46:49–65. Close ). Petrels may also face threats linked to fisheries, through collision with trawling cables, attraction to lighted vessels, or entanglement in gear (108 Zhou, C., Y. Jiao, and Browder (2019). Seabird bycatch vulnerability to pelagic longline fisheries: ecological traits matter. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29:1324–1335. Close ). A petrel was documented colliding with a fisheries research vessel in the northern Gulf of Mexico in late July 2018 (J. C. Haney, personal communication).

Conservation Measures and Habitat Management

Wheeler et al. (2 Wheeler, J., Y. Satgé, A. Brown, J. Goetz, B. Keitt, H. Nevins, and E. Rupp (2021). Black-capped Petrel Conservation Update and Action Plan: Conserving the Diablotin. International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group. Close ) developed multiple strategies for the conservation of Black-capped Petrel. Most of these strategies directly address land-based and at-sea threats, although some are aimed at overcoming the challenges posed by lack of information and lack of local capacity. A few strategies are well underway, while others are in preliminary stages. One that has yet to be commenced is colony restoration through social attraction and translocation—methods that have been effective for other imperiled petrel species. It is recommended that exploration of restoration methods begin with undertaking a detailed analysis/feasibility study of translocation and social attraction with respect to Black-capped Petrel, evaluating efficacy, cost and logistics, and best practice techniques. The conservation of Black-capped Petrel relies on engaging individuals and organizations that operate on the local to national scales. Therefore, direct conservation measures and management activities are accompanied by efforts to enable in-country capacity (e.g., institutional strengthening and relationship building as well as technical and project management skills).

Reducing Predator Pressure

Since locating nests on Hispaniola for the first time in 2011, petrel field teams have been collecting information about the presence and effects of introduced mammalian predators with camera traps. In some locations, limited live trapping has been conducted. Plans are underway to increase the duration of the live trapping effort and identify unattended, automatic-resetting lethal traps safe for native wildlife. Eradication is impossible on Hispaniola and fencing is not currently feasible.

Reducing Collisions and Groundings

The International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group maintains records of injured and grounded birds reported since 2010 to assist in characterizing the threat. Additionally, locations of high-risk towers—based on location, height, lighting, and cabling—have been compiled. Letters and briefings have been shared for private tower owners and government agencies with recommendations to reduce collisions and groundings. Outreach with information on rescue and release protocols have been circulated to park guards and communities along petrel flyways.

Community Development to Reduce Loss and Degradation of Habitat

Although located in protected areas, nesting sites in Haiti face loss and degradation due to expanding agriculture practiced by nearby communities. In one community on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Boukan Chat, agro-ecological programs are underway to improve yields in existing fields and foster tree crops as a long-term farming option. Other community development strategies ongoing or under development in Boukan Chat include environmental awareness and education programs, as well as methods of economic empowerment.

Park Management in the Dominican Republic

All nesting sites in the Dominican Republic fall within national parks. Local partners foster collaboration with park administrators for expertise on petrels and petrel habitat, seek public engagement to gain public backing, and showcase habitat restoration projects to park administrators.

Addressing Threats at Sea Through Advocacy

Given the scope of marine threats (reduced prey availability, plastics and other pollutants, and oil spills), the most effective and feasible interventions are to advocate for the species' interest in the realm of marine policies, by highlighting Black-capped Petrel in science/policy forums and contributing data to regulatory agencies. The 2024 listing of the species under the US Endangered Species Act increases the Black-capped Petrel's visibility in this regard. Notably, the USFWS determined that marine habitat within U.S. jurisdiction is critical to the species persistence (though not yet described since information was considered insufficient to complete that analysis).

Effectiveness of Measures

The effectiveness of direct measures has been limited to date as they have only commenced in recent years and in few locations. For example, reduction of predator pressure has not yet been achieved; reduction of collisions and groundings has been achieved only locally (i.e., removal of a spotlight at a particularly dangerous tower on Tet Kay Jak); and outreach about petrel groundings has resulted in increased reporting, and a small number of downed birds have been successfully recovered and released in recent years in both Haiti and Dominican Republic.

The strategies to manage habitat involve multiple interconnected steps, and take many years to resolve. Only the effectiveness of initial steps can be assessed at this time. Community development strategies in Boukan Chat were made possible by building relationships, undertaking consultations, and supporting development work in the town. Agro-ecological training and public outreach about petrels have been well-received and the local villagers have expressed support for petrel field work. Detailed mapping to assess crop conversions and associated habitat effects has yet to take place. Engagement with Dominican Republic park authorities has been effective in that Grupo Jaragua and other field practitioners regularly engage staff at the Ministry of the Environment to obtain permits and arrange logistics for field work. Under some administrations, government involvement and support in conservation projects has been significant, with regular dialogue between organization executives, combined planning exercises, and arrangements in which management projects are viewed as partnerships or collaborations.

The effectiveness of advocacy in order to address threats at sea is difficult to gauge, given the scope of at-sea threats. However, advocacy has resulted in the elevation of Black-capped Petrel in national and international policy instruments (e.g., inclusion in SPAW-RAC Appendix, listing as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act).