Flesh-footed Shearwater on Lord Howe Island, photograph by Tim Reid

Megan Grant (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Newnham, Australia) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Ecology and Evolution on Near Threatened Flesh-footed or Sable Shearwaters Ardenna carneipes adding nutrients via guano to their breeding sites on Lord Howe Island.

The abstract follows:

“Seabirds are long-range transporters of nutrients, linking their marine feeding grounds with their terrestrial breeding and roosting sites. Seabirds can influence the terrestrial environment in which they reside by depositing nutrient-rich guano, which acts as a natural fertiliser. Here, we determined the nutrient content of Sable Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes) guano and used stable isotope analysis to determine changes in isotope signals and nutrient concentrations through the terrestrial environment across three sites on Lord Howe Island, Australia: active shearwater colony, abandoned shearwater colony and un-colonised area. The concentration of nitrogen in Sable Shearwater guano was like other Procellariiformes, and this was reflected in the palm leaves and invertebrates (slugs) sampled from seabird colonies, which were enriched in δ15N relative to the control site. In contrast, nitrogen stable isotope values in soils were not significantly different among sites, indicating the presence of historic seabird colonies. Guano was rich in phosphorous and potassium, which fertilised soils in the shearwater colony compared to sites without seabirds present. It is expected that the island will experience a reduction in nutrient inputs from guano because the shearwater population is in decline, and this may result in changes to vegetation assemblages in the colonies over time.”

Reference:

Grant, M.L., Reichman, S.Z., Bond, A.L. & Lavers, J.L. 2025.  Seabirds enhance primary producer and consumer isotope signals on a sub-tropical island.  Ecology and Evolution 15(7) doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71636.

Black-footed Albatross and chick, sculpted by Isabelle Beaudoin

ACAP Latest News regularly carries articles that feature the links between art and science in relation to the conservation of ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels.  Subjects covered include paintings and drawings (notably in collaboration with Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) to mark annual World Albatross Day on 19 June since 2020), public statuary and even cake baking.  Less frequently reported are sculptures. An example of a Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes modelled in clay by ACAP supporter Isabelle Beaudoin who recently spent time among albatrosses on Kure Atoll (Hōlanikūj) in the North Pacific follows, using her own words.

Isabelle poses with her sculpture prior to its painting

“Since I’m no longer out in the field every single day (though it will pick up again soon!), this page will on occasion be given over to other bird-themed content - like art!

What do you guys think of my clay Ka’upu (Black-footed Albatross) and chick?  This was my first time ever working with the clay medium, and it was challenging to shape the bird in 3D.  But I’d spent so many hundreds of hours watching Ka’upu from every angle that my eye knew what it was looking for, even if my hands and fingers didn’t always know how to render it.   I’m pretty happy with it though.  I started with a wire ‘skeleton’ or frame, so that the figure would be rigid and could stand; then I covered the wire with clay and shaped it until it looked right. I made a base, a nest bowl and a little baby chick.  I let all this air dry over a couple of weeks, then I painted them all, and glued tiny shells and moss- and grass-like things to the base.  A shoutout to Etasha Golden who provided me with all the materials (from the wire to the clay to the shells) and encouragement to embark on this project!  You can see her in the last [Facebook] photos helping me to set up a photoshoot.  I’ve named these two Derpy and Derpling, after a bird I met and named on the island.  They will live on my desk at the university.”

Wire skeleton prior to adding the clay

The sculpture prior to painting

Isabelle continues “I think about the atoll every single day.  Sometimes when I pause, and detach myself from the hubbub and stress of my life now, I can still hear faint echoes of them all around me. The albatross.   The notes of whinnies, whistles, bill-clacks, screams, moos and coos used to suffuse the air and weave themselves through me.  Day and night.  The longing I feel to be in their presence again is impossible to describe, and is stronger than what I’ve ever felt for humans.  Who knows why that is.  But I have to remember that they aren’t really gone.  They’re still all around me.  In my heart.  In my memories.  In the sky.  In the sea.   In the air. Making art like this makes them feel closer.”

Close up of the sculpture’s base, photographs by Isabelle Beaudoin

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 29 July 2025

A Northern Giant Petrel with a sublingual oral fistula, photograph by Helen Badenhorst, southern Indian Ocean, 27 January 2025

Dr James Reynolds (Assistant Professor in Ornithology and Animal Conservation, Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK) has written to ACAP Latest News on a long-term citizen science project that he has been running about the incidents and causes of sublingual oral fistulas in the world's birds.  Since 2016 he has collated records of the condition in nearly 110 species of birds from all continents except Antarctica.  Many of the species in which oral fistulas have been recorded are gulls and terns.  James will be pleased to receive details of the condition in other seabird species.

James notes that a Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli was photographed by several participants on the Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025 voyage in January this year, likely to be the same individual, as depicted on its Facebook Page.  He says “I am asking for help from people who routinely interact with free-living birds at close quarters when handling, observing and photographing them.  I am especially appealing to banders, wildlife photographers and birdwatchers to respond but I am happy to hear from anyone with relevant information.  All records of this rare condition are invaluable because they allow us to map the condition's occurrence onto location, and phylogenetic and ecological trait spaces.  The ultimate aim of the research project is to identify the cause(s) of this condition and thereby to ensure that we can protect avian biodiversity, and especially seabirds that face so many threats, against it proliferating.”

Records of ACAP-listed and other seabirds exhibiting sublingual oral fistulas can be sent to James at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Relevant publications:

Camiña, A. & Guerrero, L.M. 2013.  An Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus disadvantaged for feeding.  Vulture News 64: 66-68.

Castro, I. & Taylor, J. 2001.  Survival and reproductive success of Stitchbird (hihi, Notiomystis cincta) suffering from a bill abnormality (oral fistula).  Notornis 48: 241-244.

Hughes, B.J., Martin, G.R., Wearn, C.P. & Reynolds, S.J. 2013.  Sublingual fistula in a Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) and possible role of ectoparasites in its etiology.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 49: 455-457.

Reynolds, S.J. 2021.  A call for observations of birds with sublingual oral fistulas in central and eastern Europe, and beyond.  Ornis Hungarica 29: 188-194.

Reynolds, S.J., Martin, G.R., Wearn, C.P. & Hughes, B.J. 2009.  Sub-lingual oral fistulas in sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscata). Journal of Ornithology 150: 691-696.

Rintoul, D.A. & Reynolds, S.J. 2019.  Sublingual oral fistula in a Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan).  Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin 70: 53-56.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 28 July 2025

The Saving Marion Island's Seabirds: the Mouse-Free Marion Project has produced the 14th issue of its Quarterly Newsletter for July 2025.  In the issue Keith Springer, MFM Project Operations Manager, provides an update on Marion Island fieldwork and the 2025 annual relief voyage, and Roelf Daling, MFM Project 2025/26 Overwintering Field Assistant, writes about his first month on remote Marion Island.

News is also given on June’s Double your Donation Campaign in celebration of World Albatross Day on 19 June that reached its 220-ha target in record time.

Download the newsletter and all the previous issues from here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 25 July 2025