35,289 southern royal albatrosses (Diomedea epomophora) were banded on Campbell Island between 1941 and 1998, including 24,258 chicks and 11,031 adults. By 2003, 240 (0.68%) band recoveries and live recaptures away from Campbell Island had been reported. Birds banded as chicks were reported at a median age of 2 years (range 1-28 yrs), and adults at a median of 4 years after banding (range 0-27 yrs). The peak of band recoveries occurred close to the peak of banding in the late 1960s. Recoveries were generally made between latitudes 30-55°S in southern Australasia and South America; 43% were on coasts and 56% at sea. Birds recovered at sea (n = 134) were usually in waters over the continental shelf (up to c. 200 m deep water; 55% of records) or slope (200-1000 m; 19%). Distribution varied with age, with 56% of juveniles (<20 months old, n = 78) found on the west side of South America (especially in December – February), 54% of immature birds (<6 years old, n = 48) on the east side of South America (especially in June – July) and 55% of adults (≥ 6 years old, n = 114) in the New Zealand region. Most (94%, n = 102) birds recovered on the coast were dead, compared with 46% (n = 134) of those found at sea. Some birds were apparently caught to read bands, and 36% of the live birds (n = 78) were released without their bands, and of the remainder, 3 birds were seen again on Campbell Island. About half (49%, n = 61) of deaths at sea were caused by accidental capture on fishing lines. A possible decrease in the population during the 1970s – early 1980s coincided with the peak in long-line fishing in the New Zealand region and suggests this albatross could be affected by any new fisheries or intensification of fishing without adequate mitigation. It would be prudent to monitor the trends, dynamics and foraging of a range of New Zealand albatross species within an, as yet undeveloped, strategy for research and monitoring of seabirds in New Zealand.
The Australasian crested grebe (kamana: Podiceps cristatus australis) is nationally endangered within New Zealand. A census, conducted on 24 January 2004 by 81 observers, recorded 300 adults and estimated a further 15 as present on 41 of the 93 lakes counted. Assuming approximately 30 grebes to be present on lakes not counted, the national population of adult crested grebes is estimated to be 340-350. This is 40% higher than the population recorded in 1980. In addition, 75 juveniles were counted on 18 lakes. As in the 1980 survey, approximately 55% of the adult crested grebes were recorded on Canterbury lakes. A significant regional change has occurred with birds now present on lakes in Otago, absent from Nelson lakes, and in reduced numbers in Marlborough, North Canterbury, Westland and Fiordland. In addition, a significant decline has occurred at Lake Alexandrina, one of the strongholds identified in the 1980s. Forty percent of the present adult population was recorded on two lakes, Lake Heron and Lake Hayes. We identify priority sites where management to reverse declines could be implemented and we recommend a suite of management actions.
We studied activity rhythms at a gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) colony at Cierva Point, Antarctic Peninsula, during the 1992-93 summer. We counted the number of penguins crossing a specific point on their route to and from the colony. Penguins showed a strong daily rhythm of activity, with a two-peak pattern for those leaving the colony and a one-peak pattern for those returning. The peak of penguins departing to sea was at dawn, with a secondary peak in the afternoon which was coincident with the peak of returns. Although this behaviour could be explained by nest relief schedules, the pattern remained once crèches had formed. The main peak of departures strongly correlated with sunrise, which might support the existence of a light signal synchronizing activity. Even though an external factor could be triggering movements, an endogenous circadian clock might drive both patterns.
Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae), whitehead (Mohoua albicilla), tomtit (Petroica macrocephala), and bellbird (Anthornis melanura) have all recently been reintroduced to sites in or near Wellington city. Prior to or concurrent with these translocations, unmarked individuals of all five species were detected in forested reserves on Wellington peninsula. Based on the number of birds seen, and frequency of sightings, we suggest that red-crowned parakeets, whiteheads and bellbirds have established resident populations in some reserves independent of translocations. We attribute these successful re-establishments to the effective control of possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and rats (Rattus sp.) undertaken by Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Department of Conservation.
We studied the distribution along the Pacific coast of South and Central America of three large petrels species that nest on New Zealand and subantarctic islands: white-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis), Parkinson’s petrel (P. parkinsoni) and Westland petrel (P. westlandica). During 15 cruises from 1980 to 1995, we conducted 1,020 hrs of surveys over 14,277 km2 of ocean from the shoreline to 1500 km off the coast from Chile north to Panama, and recorded 2114, 179, and 20 individuals, respectively, of the three species. White-chinned petrels occurred throughout the study area, but were most abundant off Chile, Parkinson’s petrels were most abundant along the coasts of Ecuador and Peru, and Westland petrels off southern Chile. All three species preferred waters over the continental slope, although Parkinson’s petrel was abundant also over the continental shelf during the austral winter. Densities of each species were positively related to oceanographic properties that are associated with up-welling features. Abundance estimates, analyzed using generalized additive models, peaked during the non-breeding season of each species. Estimates were 722,000 White-chinned petrels during austral autumn (95% confidence interval “CI” = 349,000 – 907,000); 38,000 Parkinson’s petrels during austral autumn (95% CI = 28,000 – 50,000); and 3,500 Westland petrels during the austral spring (95% CI = 2,000 – 6,400). Scavenging appeared to be the primary feeding method of Procellaria, a habit that would make them susceptible to mortality as a result of their regular association with commercial fishing operations, particularly the recently developed long-line fishery on the continental slope of Chile.
A census of Chatham Island shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) and Pitt Island shag (Strictocarbo featherstoni), both endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, was conducted during their 2003/04 breeding season. Totals of 271 pairs of Chatham Island shags and 547 pairs of Pitt Island shags were recorded. Compared with the only previous survey (in 1997/98), numbers of both species were significantly lower. This decline most likely reflects broad scale marine changes affecting the birds’ food supply. Alternatively, it may suggest variability in the timing of breeding between seasons.
Corrections to figures and legends in McAllan, I.A.W.; Hobcroft, D. 2005. The further spread of introduced birds in Samoa. 52(1): 16-20
Foraging of female rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi) during the chick stage was investigated at Antipodes Islands during December 2002 – January 2003. During the guard stage eight birds were tracked to foraging areas 22 – 54 km NNE or E from their nests. Birds foraging NNE did so over waters 500-1500 m deep, while those that travelled E foraged in water > 1500 m deep. The mean duration of these foraging trips was 1.37 days, significantly (p 1500 m deep. Male parents guarded the chicks more or less continuously, with most females returning to feed the chicks from mid afternoon. In the post-guard stage, most male parents returned to the nest each evening, but fewer females attended the nest at this time. Weight increases indicated that chicks were fed, on average, about once per day during both the guard and early post-guard stages. The foraging trips of female rockhopper penguins at Antipodes Islands were usually of longer duration and extended farther from the nest than birds breeding at Amsterdam, Kerguelen and Crozet Islands, but occupied a similar time and covered a greater distance than birds breeding at Staten Island. However, they were of considerably shorter duration and distance than birds breeding at Macquarie Island. This may be related to the differing marine environments around each of these breeding locations.
A trial translocation to establish a new fluttering shearwater (Puffinus gavia) colony is reported. From 1991 to 1996, 334 fluttering shearwater chicks were transferred from Long Island to Maud Island, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. Chicks were artificially housed and hand-fed until fledging. Overall fledging success was 82%, 32 of the 273 chicks that fledged returned to Maud Island, and 30 have bred. Mean age of first breeding was 6.8 years (range 5-10 years). Returning chicks were heavier at fledging and spent longer on Maud Island than chicks that did not return. Transferred chicks showed typical post-fledging behaviour by dispersing to southeast Australian waters. The new colony has gradually increased, and 15 pairs bred in 2003/04. Methods developed have application to endangered species management.
Observations of birds on Antipodes Islands during 24 April – 6 June 2001 represent a season of the year for which data are lacking. Activity ashore of non-breeders of summer-breeding gadfly petrels Pterodroma spp. and black-bellied storm petrels (Fregetta tropica) continued until late May or even June. Data were obtained on the non-breeding behaviour, breeding cycle and burrow occupancy rates of grey petrels (Procellaria cinerea); only 50% of their burrows were occupied by breeding pairs. White-capped albatross (Thalassarche steadi) fledglings on Bollons Island were counted. There had been an autumnal immigration of some Passerines. Birds seen at sea on the voyages from Akaroa, Banks Peninsula and returning to Port Chalmers, Dunedin included the rarely-sighted Chatham taiko (Pterodroma magentae).