Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross by Lea Finke of Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) for World Albatross Day 2020, after a photograph by Alexis Osborne

Chris Haney (Terra Mar Applied Sciences, Washington, DC, USA) and colleagues have reviewed the occurrence of seabirds in the Gulf of Mexico, publishing in the open-access journal Marine Ornithology.  Among the birds covered is the ACAP-listed Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororynchos, with a summary given of nine published records from the Gulf of Mexico or vicinity.  No albatrosses were seen during the actual at-sea surveys conducted.  The publication also gives information on 17 species of storm petrels, petrels and shearwaters, including a single published record of an ACAP-listed White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis that was collected alive from the surf zone in Texas but died during rehabilitation,

The paper’s abstract follows:

“The birds in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico have long been poorly studied.  Given statutory obligations to protect migratory birds and endangered species, three broad-scale vessel and aerial programs initiated since 2010 have now surveyed the entire northern Gulf. Vessel coverage alone exceeds 700 d and 74,000 km of observer effort using 300-m strip transects. We supplemented these survey data with earlier, smaller-scale studies, eBird checklists, literature reviews, and other less accessible sources to create snapshot summaries of relative abundance, seasonal occurrence, and regional distribution for 117 taxa of marine and water birds reported from the northern Gulf (113 of which were substantiated with physical evidence). Using taxonomic and functional criteria, we identified 56 taxa characteristic of open shelf, slope, and pelagic waters (federal jurisdiction), 41 taxa with primarily coastal affinities (state and federal jurisdiction), and 20 taxa of sea and diving ducks.  High species richness of marine birds in the northern Gulf is attributed to (1) a temperate-to-tropical gradient facilitating diverse marine environments year-round; (2) varied geographic origins of marine bird species using the Gulf; and (3) a mostly enclosed sea basin acting as a vagrant trap for wide-ranging species.  Our taxonomic list and status updates seek to bridge information gaps for marine birds now subject to accelerated commercial uses of this region's continental shelf, including newly proposed offshore wind energy development.  Other applications include guiding risk and vulnerability assessments of Gulf marine birds, providing core content for seabird observer training, and prioritizing environmental impact reviews and monitoring programs in offshore energy construction and operations plans.”

An Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross broods its chick on Gough Island, photograph by Chris Jones

Click here for records of albatrosses, including the Atlantic Yellow-nosed, that have crossed the equator into the northern hemisphere in the Atlantic Ocean.  Records featured in ACAP Latest News include birds from Canada and the United Kingdom

Reference:

Haney, J.C., Michael, P.E., Gleason, J., Wilson, R.R., Satgé, Y. G., Hixson, K.M. & Jodice, P.G.R. 2025.  Relative abundance, seasonal occurrence, and distribution of marine birds in the northern Gulf of Mexico.  Marine Ornithology 53: 189-206.

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

The latest ACAP Species Infographic, the 19th to be produced in the 31-species series, is for the Endangered Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis.  Along with the equally Endangered Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri it has been chosen as one of the “feature species” for this year’s World Albatross Day on 19 June, with its theme of “Effects of Disease”

“Connection”, watercolour of three Amsterdam Albatrosses by Flavia Barreto of Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature for ABUN Project 49, after a photograph by Dominique Filippi

As for all previous infographics it is also being produced in the official ACAP languages of French and Spanish. These versions will be released soon.

Amsterdam Albatrosses interact in France’s Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean, photograph by Dominique Filippi

The ACAP Species Infographic series has been designed to help inform the public, including school learners, of the threats faced by albatrosses and petrels and what is being and can be done to combat them.  They serve to complement the more detailed and referenced ACAP Species Assessments, the concise and illustrated ACAP Species Summaries and the ACAP Photo Essay series.  English and Portuguese language versions of the infographics produced to date are available to download here.  French and Spanish versions can be found in their respective language menus for the website under Infographies sur les espèces and Infographía sobres las especies.

The 19 infographics produced to date may be freely downloaded at a high resolution to allow for printing professionally in two poster sizes (approximately A2 and A3). .Please note they are only being made available for personal use or when engaging in activities that will aid in drawing attention to the conservation crisis faced by the world’s albatrosses and petrels – when ACAP will be pleased to receive a mention.  They should not be used for personal gain.

The ACAP Species Infographics are being created by Thai illustrator Namasri ‘Namo’ Niumim from Bangkok.  Namo is a graduate of the School of Architecture and Design, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design.

The ACAP Species Infographic for the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross is now in production.

With grateful thanks to Pep Arcos and Karine Delord for their help editing Spanish and French translations, respectively.

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

(A) Adult White-chinned Petrel near a dead Franciscana Dolphin; (B) detail of the dolphin; (C) detail of possible pecking marks; and (D) detail of exposed flesh, likely the area where the White-chinned Petrel was pecking (from the publication)

Fabio Schunck (Comitê Brasileiro de Registros Ornitológicos, São Paulo, Brazil) and colleagues have published in the open-access journal Marine Ornithology on an unusual observation of a scavenging White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“The White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis is an opportunistic forager that often follows fishing boats to feed upon scraps or escaped/discarded fish.  Although its diet in non-breeding areas is not well understood, studies of stomach contents indicate that its diet consists of fish, crustaceans, and squid.  In June 2024, during a pelagic birding trip off the coast of Santa Catarina State, Brazil, a White-chinned Petrel was spotted feeding on the floating carcass of a Franciscana Dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei.  This behavior has not been previously documented in the literature, online citizen science platforms, or by personal observation.  We believe this to be an uncommon, opportunistic feeding strategy for this petrel species.”

Reference:

Schunck, F., Souza, R., Donadio, D.N., Correa, L., Bicudo, R., Souza, M.O., Silva, P.G.C., Dias, E., Leal, E. & Barata, F. 2025.  White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis feeding on a dead dolphin.  Marine Ornithology 53: 185-187.

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

Personal note:  My 33-year-old paper gets cited in a journal that I founded and then was editing.

Cooper, J., Fourie, A. & Klages, N.T.W. 1992.  The diet of the White chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis at sub-Antarctic Marion Island.  Marine Ornithology 20: 17-24.

The MFM takeover team from left: Otto Whitehead, Keith Springer, Roelf Daling, Josh Kemp and Vonica Perold before sailing to Marion Island on 18 April 2025

Robyn Adams, Mouse-Free Marion Project Communications Officer and Project Assistant writes in the news section on the project’s website.

“Since 2022, the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: the Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project has maintained a research presence on Marion Island.  Each year, field assistants are deployed to conduct critical research that informs the planning of the operation to restore the island’s degraded ecosystem by eradicating invasive mice.  This year is no exception and this month we once again set sail for Marion Island.

The annual Marion Island relief voyage in April will see the S.A. Agulhas II, South Africa’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research and support vessel, travel to the island to relieve the current overwintering personnel and resupply those at the research base with food, fuel and provisions to sustain them for the year they will spend on the island.

Each year, the MFM Project deploys new research personnel.  The 2025/26 team is Vonica Perold and Roelf Daling, who will be relieving Monique van Bers after her year-long stint on Marion Island.  Vonica and Roelf will form part of the M82 overwintering team and join the larger MFM Project team participating in the takeover voyage.

Accompanying them on the month-long voyage are Keith Springer (MFM Project Operations Manager) and Josh Kemp, who will be overseeing the research activities planned for the takeover period.  After closely examining possible reasons for two recent failed eradications, this research will include new field trials specifically designed to investigate key parameters relating to bait and mice, further refining the approach to eradication planning.  Filmmaker and scientist Otto Whitehead will also be part of the MFM Project team for the voyage, and will assist with the field work, document activities and help raise awareness for the project.

During the 2025/2026 period, Vonica and Roelf will continue various monitoring initiatives that have been established to inform the planning of the baiting operation and support long-term monitoring of the ecological outcomes.  Addressing key knowledge gaps through well-designed field trials plays a critical role in ensuring the success of the eradication operation.” [edited].

Read more about the 2025 takeover and the new MFM Project field team in the latest issue (No. 13, April 2025) of the MFM Quarterly Newsletter.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 24 April 2025