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The food of the white-rumped swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius) in Fiji

Notornis, 33 (1), 1-16

M.K. Tarburton (1986)

Article Type: Paper

Diptera (flies), Homoptera (planthoppers), Hymenoptera (social insects), Isoptera (termites), and Coleoptera (beetles) were the most numerous prey in 32 food boluses being delivered by parent white-rumped swiftlets (Aerodramus spodiopygius) to their chicks inside two Fijian caves. Numerically the main food items were flies (37%) and planthoppers (33%). Both the season and the habitat over which the birds had been feeding seemed to determine whether flies or planthoppers predominated in a particular bolus sample. Flies predominated in the prey of swiftlets foraging over open country, whereas planthoppers predominated in the prey of swiftlets foraging over both forest and open country. The number of insects in each food bolus ranged from 47 to 750 (mean = 236). The average weight of a bolus was 0.225 g (range 0.1- 0.43 g). The average length of all prey was 2.48 mm, which is larger than the average length of available prey (1.63 mm). The number of prey species ranged from 2 to 83 (mean = 30 per bolus). Altogether, 167 species were recorded in food boluses. The white-rumped swiftlet bred during the wet season, when insects were more abundant. This study, along with others (largely unpublished) shows for the first time that flies are often the most common insect in the prey of swifts, swiftlets and swallows.

The sexual dimorphism of Snares Cape pigeons (Daption capense australe)

Notornis, 33 (4), 259-263

P.M. Sagar (1986)

Article Type: Paper

The males of Snares Cape pigeons (Daption capense australe) breeding at the Snares Islands are larger than females, especially in head plus bill length, mid-toe plus claw, bill length, bill depth, tarsus, and weight. By using the measurements head plus bill length and mid-toe plus claw, one can reliably sex about 82% of the Snares Islands birds. The amount of sexual dimorphism is similar in both races of cape pigeon. The importance of having a wide range of calls during breeding is favoured as the reason for dimorphism having developed in fulmarine petrels.

Seabirds found dead on New Zealand beaches in 1983 and a review of albatross recoveries since 1960

Notornis, 32 (1), 23-41

R.G. Powlesland (1985)

Article Type: Paper

In 1983, 4,559 kilometres of coast were patrolled and 5,991 dead seabirds were found. A new record for the Beach Patrol Scheme was a pomarine skua (Stercorarius pomarinus). Unusual finds were yellow-nosed mollymawk (Diomedea chlororhynchos), Stejneger’s petrel (Pterodroma longirostris), white-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), lesser frigate bird (Fregata ariel) and grey ternlet (Procelsterna cerulea). A wreck of long-tailed skuas (Stercorarius longicaudus) occurred mainly on Auckland West beaches in January and February. A summary is given of the coastal and monthly distribution for each species and subspecies of the 2,401 albatrosses found during the 1960-1983 period. Of the various coastal regions, albatrosses were found most frequently (number of birds per 100 km covered) on Southland beaches. The most frequently found albatross was the grey-headed mollymawk (Diomedea chrysostoma).

Variation within the redpolls of Canterbury

Notornis, 32 (3), 245-253

J.F.M. Fennell; P.M. Sagar; J.S. Fennell (1985)

Article Type: Paper

The measurements of the redpoll (Carduelis flammea) in Canterbury, New Zealand, were investigated. Variation in plumage colour are compared with study skins and published data for British redpolls. New Zealand and British redpolls are shown to differ and it is suggested that differences may be due to ‘founder effect’ rather than ‘hybridisation’ between two or more introduced races, as had previously been postulated. The occurrence of light-coloured plumage was more common in males. Females showed a much wider range of poll colour.

The distribution of Buller’s shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in the North Pacific Ocean

Notornis, 32 (2), 109-117

T.R. Wahl (1985)

Article Type: Paper

From available records ranging from systematic surveys to casual observations, the known distribution of Buller’s shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in the North Pacific Ocean is described. The birds arrive in subarctic waters in June and slowly expand northward and eastward as far as the Gulf of Alaska by August. The mid-ocean distribution after August is poorly known, but many birds, presumably non-breeders, are along the west coast of North America, at least from British Columbia to southern California, until late October-early November. Numbers observed along this coast have increased since the mid-1960s.
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