Many Pterodroma species are threatened, and translocations to predator-free islands are desirable for several species. As these birds are highly philopatric, only chicks that have not yet imprinted on their natal colony should be transferred but techniques to identify suitably aged Pterodroma nestlings are needed. We investigated feeding frequency, meal size and chick growth in Pycroft’s petrel (P. pycrofti) on Red Mercury Island, New Zealand to provide this information. Mean daily probability of being fed decreased from 0.47 60-23 days before fledging to 0.004 in the last seven days before fledging. Mean meal size was 34 g and morphometric measurements at fledging were similar to mean adult measurements. The best indicator of chick age was wing length. Transferable Pycroft’s petrel chicks should have wings measuring 149 – 184 mm and weigh 218 – 250 g.
Specimens of 12 species of birds from New Zealand and the Society Islands collected during Cook’s second voyage round the world (1772-1775) were described and illustrated by Anders Sparrman in Museum Carlsonianum (1786-1789). The Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm holds six specimens considered to be type specimens of some of those species. However, documentation discussed here indicates only three, spotted shag (Stictocarbo punctatus) and red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae) from New Zealand, and Tahiti lorikeet (Vini peruviana) from the Society Islands, are type specimens.
The population size, breeding, and annual cycle of Antarctic terns (Sterna vittata bethunei) at the subantarctic Snares Islands were studied intermittently from 1976 to 2002. During the 1983/84 and 1984/85 breeding seasons the population comprised a minimum of 65 breeding pairs. Laying dates extended from mid Sep to late Mar, with peak laying in late Oct-early Nov. Clutch size averaged 1.33 (range 1-2 eggs) and did not change through the breeding season. Both parents incubated. Hatching success was 92.7% and both parents fed the young. Fledging success was 75%, and so overall breeding success was 69.6%. Chicks were fed mostly fish by both parents and 1-chick broods were fed smaller fish and less frequently than 2-chick broods. The youngest bird recorded breeding was at least 3 years old. After the breeding season (from Mar), the terns formed flocks and moulted in the vicinity of the Snares Islands. Following the completion of moult (from Apr) they tended to move offshore, only returning to the shelter of the islands during severe weather. From mid Jul, the terns tended to roost in flocks at the Snares Islands before dispersing to form pairs and defend nesting sites.
Recent estimates of the number of yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) throughout its range have led to a revised figure for the total population of this species. The number of breeding pairs on Stewart and Codfish Is together with the Auckland Is remain the least well known. Ground searches in 1984 -1994 on Stewart and Codfish Is suggested fewer birds than expected. The results of 102 ground searches of 61 localities and 118 beach counts (>700 h of observations) support a lowering of earlier estimates to c. 170-320 pairs on Stewart Is and its outliers, and 50-80 breeding pairs on Codfish Is, giving a total of 220-400 pairs for this region. The relatively few breeding pairs found on Stewart Is, based on the length of coastline and hinterland area available, together with the small groupings, suggest that predation of adults and chicks may be a factor in the relatively low numbers of this species on Stewart Is itself.
Moutohora (Whale Island) holds the largest surveyed breeding colony of grey-faced petrels (Pterodroma macroptera gouldi). For our estimate of the breeding population, we divided the island into 16 sections within which burrow densities were approximately uniform; the surface areas of these sections were found by planimetry. Apparently completed burrows were counted in 1998-2000 within each section by plots of 2 m radius along linear transects, or by 10 X 10 m contiguous plots. The total estimate (± SE) for the island was 109,000 ± 10,000 burrows, which equates to about 95,000 pairs breeding annually, given an occupancy rate of about 87%. The population has apparently more than doubled since Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were eradicated in 1985/87.