Vol. 7 No. 2 (1976)

Abundance and species composition of marine birds are specific to different oceanographic regions; these in turn are defined by characteristic physical and biological conditions. This has been discussed most graphically by Murphy (1936, 1967), Kuroda (1955), Sanger (1970, 1972), and Shuntov (1972). Ideally, biologists should be familiar with the physical and biological environmental factors affecting the occurrence of marine birds, since the diversity of environmental conditions that often occur over equal areas on land is not present.

On 29 April 1974 Carlson found four or five Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) on sand flats above the west end of the Fort Peck Dam, Valley County, Montana. The birds were engaged in courtship activities. Numerous color photographs were taken in the succeeding weeks as courtship activities continued (Figure 1).

We report here the first recorded breeding of Black Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma melania) in the United States. The Black Storm-Petrel breeds on offshore islands on both sides of Baja California, Mexico. Grinnell (1928) confined it to Islas San Benitos and Los Coronados on the Pacific side with populations on Roca Consag, Isla Partida and Islas San Luis on the Gulf of California side. Colonies may exist on some of the numerous other islands off Baja California.

Montana Bird Distribution: Preliminary Mapping by Latilong. Palmer David Skaar. 1975. iv + 56 p. Available from the author, 501 S. Third, Bozeman, Montana 59715. $2.50 postpaid.