We conducted counts of spotted shags (Stictocarbo punctatus) at Matiu/Somes and Mokopuna islands in Wellington Harbour quarterly during the period from 2002-05 and sporadically at these sites and at Makaro/Ward Island during 2007 -12. This population is important as it is one of the few North Island breeding areas, and one of only 2 in the Wellington region. Shag numbers appear to have been stable or possibly declining during this period, with fluctuations between both months and years. An average of 210 individuals was noted during 12 comprehensive counts, with a maximum of 354 spotted shags in 2004. Breeding occurred during late winter and spring in 2010 and 2012. We recommend ongoing monitoring of this population as an important population at a New Zealand level, which is accessible and easily counted from a boat.
A total of 3,455 southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus dominicanus) chicks were banded at 4 Canterbury localities between 1959 and 1993: Ashley River 1,239; Waimakariri River 219; Motunau Island 1,997. Only 180 (5.2%) of these chicks were recovered, 3.0% of the river colony chicks and 6.9% of the Motunau Island chicks. Three-quarters of recoveries were in rural environments with most others on the coast; 14 had been shot or trapped and killed. The oldest recovery from the river colonies was 6.1 years old but this may be an underestimate due to wear and loss of aluminium bands used early in the study period; Motunau Island birds were found up to 25.7 years after banding. Birds dispersed widely from the Wairarapa to Southland travelling up to 486 km. Recoveries of first year birds off-colony averaged 96 km which is more than the older birds, 54 km; 7/10 birds that travelled over 200 km were first year birds. On average, Motunau Island birds were found further from the natal colony than birds from the river colonies. My results indicate that dispersal distances and direction of black-backed gulls are variable, and that dispersal can occur between the North and South Islands.
In New Zealand, translocation of native species is increasingly being proposed and carried out by community groups as well as the Department of Conservation (DOC). Usually a formal translocation proposal needs to be prepared and approved. Trends in the number and type of proposals approved during 2002-2010 are discussed. Over 300 translocation proposals were approved in this period. Many proposals consisted of more than one transfer. In 2002, proposals from community groups and joint proposals with DOC made up 16% of the approved proposals. In 2005 this had increased to 58%, but it dropped down to 38% in 2007 and in 2010 it had again increased to 71%. Proposals to move birds made up the largest proportion of applications (74%), followed by reptiles (15%), plants (6%) and invertebrates (5%). Kiwi (Apteryx spp.), robin (Petroica spp.), North Island kokako (Callaeas wilsoni) and seabird species (including Procellariformes, Spheniscidae and Laridae) were the most commonly translocated species. In response to the increased number of applications from community groups to carry out translocations, DOC has revised and improved the process for carrying out native species translocation projects.
We present the first detailed data on the Great Barrier Island (GBI) sub-population of the northern New Zealand dotterel (NNZD; Charadrius obscurus aquilonius). The breeding season population has averaged 48 birds (range: 41– 64) since 2000. At Awana on GBI, productivity has averaged >1.0 fledged chick per pair-year. The apparent survivorship of adult birds was less than that in the North Auckland sub-population. After breeding, most GBI birds congregated at Whangapoua Estuary/Okiwi Spit in the north of the island, making this a site of international importance under the Ramsar Convention (1971). The post-breeding population of c.56 birds (range: 41 – 77) was augmented by local juveniles and input from elsewhere. Banding returns provided evidence of movement between GBI and the adjacent mainland sub-population on the Coromandel Peninsula. There was no evidence that fewer predatory mammal species on GBI benefits the species at present. Conservation emphasis should focus on controlling mammalian predators and managing human impacts at breeding sites, especially early in the breeding season.
The South Island snipe (Coenocorypha iredalei) was described by Walter Rothschild in 1921 based on 3 specimens collected on Jacky Lee I, off Stewart I, in 1897 & 1898 and purchased from Henry Travers. The last 3 birds were seen 43 years later on Big South Cape I, and the species is considered extinct following introductions of weka (Gallirallus australis) or ship rats (Rattus rattus) to its 2 last strongholds. I surveyed surviving museum skins, literature, and personal accounts of the South Island snipe, including a previously unpublished account from the type locality, to learn more of the bird’s discovery and extinction. Seven only of the 24 known specimens had correct locality data associated with them; as a result, many were assumed until recently to be Snares Island snipe (C. huegeli). Based on specimen records, historic correspondence, and forensic examination of specimen labels, I conclude that Henry Travers never visited Jacky Lee I, and that the unknown collector of the type specimens of C. iredalei also collected bird specimens from Rangatira I in the Chatham Is in 1899 and 1900.
Sexual differences in vocalisations of the Vanuatu petrel (Pterodroma occulta) are described. Qualitative differences in burrow calls could be used to sex adults with 63-100% accuracy in listening experiments. Males sounded “clear” and females sounded “hoarse”. Higher accuracy is possible with the aid of spectrograms. Playback experiments demonstrated a male-bias in responses of incubating Vanuatu petrels to “war-whooping” and flight calls. Acoustic methods have practical and ethical advantages over handling breeding petrels and further studies of the vocal behaviour of gadfly-petrels are encouraged.
Edgar Stead (1881-1949) documented avian diversity on the islands around Stewart I during the 1930s and 1940s, and named 3 new passerine subspecies in 1936. Between 1912 and 1950, 6 other newly-recognised bird taxa were given the epithet ‘steadi’. Four of these were indisputably named after Edgar Stead: Stictocarbo steadi Oliver, 1930, Pseudoprion turtur steadi Mathews, 1932, Thalassarche cauta steadi Falla, 1933, and Petroica (Miro) australis steadi Fleming, 1950. Carbo carbo steadi Mathews & Iredale, 1913 was probably named after Edgar Stead. It is suggested that Procellaria aequinoctialis steadi Mathews, 1912 was most likely named after the Australian naturalist David Stead (1877-1957). Among the birds named by or for Edgar Stead, only Thalassarche cauta steadi Falla, 1933, Xenicus longipes variabilis Stead, 1936, and Bowdleria punctata wilsoni Stead, 1936 are recognised as valid taxa in the 2010 Checklist of the birds of New Zealand. Stictocarbo steadi Oliver, 1930 is permanently invalid. A list of type specimens collected by Stead is presented, representing 6 currently recognised taxa.
Food preferences of the bellbird (Anthornis melanura), an endemic honeyeater, were determined by comparing the proportional use of plant species for nectar, fruit, and invertebrate feeding with the proportional availability (foliar cover) of plant species in forest remnants on the Port Hills, near the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. Of 529 feeding observations throughout the year, 56% were on invertebrates, 29% on nectar, and 15% on fruit. Invertebrate feeding predominated in all months except August to November, when nectar feeding predominated. Kunzea ericoides, Fuchsia excorticata, and Hoheria angustifolia were used more than expected from their foliar cover for invertebrate feeding, while F. excorticata, Sophora microphylla, Pseudopanax arboreus, and Phormium tenax were used more than expected for nectar feeding, and Coprosma robusta and Myrsine australis more than expected for fruit feeding. Little nectar was available in winter, which may explain why some bellbirds moved from the hills to the city at the end of the breeding season. However, more research is needed on the influence of temperature on these movements and on the resources used by bellbirds in the city.
On 5 years between 1969 and 2006, counts were made of birds seen and heard along a 2.3 km transect through a central suburb of Wellington City. A total of 14,461 birds of 26 species were encountered, including 10 native and 16 introduced species. Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) dunnock (Prunella modularis) and rock dove (Columba livia) numbers remained similar over the 5 counts. By contrast, counts of tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) and grey warbler (Gerygone igata) rose between 1988-89 and 2005-06. New Zealand pigeons (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) and bellbirds (Anthornis melanura) were 1st detected in 2005. The number of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), blackbird (Turdus merula), goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) and greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) increased more than 3-fold between the earliest and latest counts. Increases in the numbers of most native and introduced species may have resulted from a possum control programme that began throughout the Wellington district in the 1990s and to the establishment of the nearby Karori Wildlife Sanctuary (‘Zealandia’). Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus) counts fell after 1971 as did the number of Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) between 1989 and 2005. Between 1969-71 and 1981-2, house sparrow (Passer domesticus) counts fell 37%, the figure remaining low until 2006. The coincidence of this decline in house sparrows with similar declines in the northern hemisphere is discussed.
Kowhai Bush in the Kaikoura region represents an important wildlife reserve for some native forest bird species. It is home of 1 of the few populations of brown creepers (Mohua novaeseelandiae) and South Island robins (Petroica australis) in lowland forest in the Canterbury region. Here, I present results from 275 five-minute point counts that were conducted at Kowhai Bush from October until December from 1999 to 2001. I compare these data with those collected by Gill (1980) in the same months of 1976 at similar sites. These comparisons reveal that the observed abundance and composition of the species at Kowhai bush has changed between 1976 and 1999-2001. Overall, there was a decline in bird abundance between 1976 and 1999-2001 and there was a significant difference in bird abundance between the 2 habitats in which counts were undertaken at Kowhai Bush. At a species level, there were dramatic declines (>50%) in the observed abundances of brown creepers and South Island robins whilst blackbirds (Turdus merula), redpolls (Carduelis flamea), and European goldfinches (C. carduelis) had more modest, but still significant declines. These declines were offset somewhat by large increases (>50%) in the observed abundances of silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis), and song thrushes (Turdus philomelos) and significant increases in the observed abundances of bellbirds (Anthornis melanura) and chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs). I discuss a number of factors that might be responsible for these changes.