Taxonomy
The existence of a separate species was first hinted at by the discovery of two distinct breeding seasons of Oceanodroma storm-petrels in the Azores. Both these populations were initially thought to be of Band-rumped Storm Petrels; however, one population bred in the cool season, and the other in the hot season. Closer study of these two breeding populations found differences in their morphology and moult. Examination of the mtDNA found that the two populations were indeed genetically isolated, and the hot-season-breeding population was elevated to a full species, Oceanodroma monteiroi, Monteiro's Storm Petrel. The species is named for biologist Dr Luis Monteiro, who discovered it.
Read more about this topic: Monteiro's Storm Petrel