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title: "Rapa Shearwater split from Newell’s Shearwater; both proposed to be Critically Endangered"
---

# Rapa Shearwater split from Newell’s Shearwater; both proposed to be Critically Endangered

Following a taxonomic reassessment, [BirdLife International](http://www.birdlife.org/) has split Newell’s Shearwater *Puffinus newelli* into Newell’s Shearwater *P. newelli* (*sensu stricto*) and Rapa Shearwater *P. myrtae*.  The newly defined Newell’s Shearwater breeds on Hawaiian Islands, predominantly on Kaua`i, whereas the Rapa Shearwater is only known to breed on four tiny islets around Rapa, French Polynesia.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Shearwaters/Newells_Shearwater_release_Kauai_Oct_ 2009_EricVanderWerf.jpg)

 Newell's Shearwater, photograph by Eric Vanderwerf

 “Both of the newly recognised taxa are under threat from introduced predators, with rats, cats and the mongoose *Herpestes javanicus* all potentially impacting *P. newelli*while cats and Polynesian Rats *Rattus exulans* may be impacting *P. myrtae*.  Introduced species may also be impacting habitat quality for both species, with habitat alteration by pigs, goats and strawberry guava on Hawaiian islands; while goat grazing may be having an impact on habitat quality for *P. myrtae*, in addition to anthropogenic land clearance and cultivation.  It is also not only introduced species that have impacted *P. newelli*. Hurricanes Iwa and Iniki both had a devastating impact on forests of Kaua`i in 1982 and 1992 and the species is heavily impacted by collisions with man-made structures as well as being attracted by artificial lighting”*.

 Following an assessment both species have been proposed for a threatened status as globally Critically Endangered.  BirdLife is now calling for comment on the categorizations on its [Globally Threatened Bird Forums](https://globally-threatened-bird-forums.birdlife.org/).

 Read more [here](https://globally-threatened-bird-forums.birdlife.org/2018/05/newells-shearwater-puffinus-newelli-is-being-split-assessment-of-newly-recognised-taxa/), including full details of the assessments.  Newell’s Shearwater (*sensu lato*) is currently categorized as [globally Endangered](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/newells-shearwater-puffinus-newelli).

 Read more *ALN* postings on Newell’s Shearwaters [here](https://www.acap.aq/en/search14?q=Newell%27s).

 *quote precised and edited for grammar.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 23 May 2018*