RBA: COOK'S PETREL in Port Coquitlam - Dec 28/2022 (LATE REPORT)

On Dec 28, 2022 a female Cook's Petrel was found alive (but grounded) at 2110 Rowland Street, Port Coquitlam. The bird was discovered by a member of the public and taken to the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC. Upon receipt of the bird, they immediately observed that it was severely emaciated. Despite their best efforts, the bird's condition failed to improve and the bird was humanely euthanized on Dec 31st.

After the bird was euthanized, it was transported to the Canadian Wildlife Service office in Delta. At a later point, it was necropsied by a Veterinarian from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Animal Health Centre at the Beatty Museum. The necropsy determined the sex (female) and that there was no evidence of trauma. It is believed that the bird's grounding was due to its extreme emaciation/weakened condition. After the Veterinarian finished the necropsy, the bird was sent to the Collections Curator, Cowan Tetrapod Collection, UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum.

The measurements of the bird are as follows:

Weight: 120 g

Wingspan: 69.9 cm

Wing chord: 22.3 cm

Tail Length: 8.6 cm

Total body length: 30.8 cm

Tarsus length: 3.347 cm

Culmen length: 2.581 cm

The bird was sent to several seabird experts including Steve Howell and Michael Force who confirmed the ID and ruled out Pycroft's Petrel.

This is the second confirmed photographed record for BC. The other bird hit a window in Lillooet on Dec 4, 2007.

Cook’s Petrel in Burnaby - Photos: Wildlife Rescue Association of BC