---
title: "A count of Northern Buller’s Albatrosses on Rosemary Rock, New Zealand’s most northerly albatross colony"
---

# A count of Northern Buller’s Albatrosses on Rosemary Rock, New Zealand’s most northerly albatross colony

 ![Rosemary Rock adults](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Bullers/Rosemary_Rock_adults.jpg)

 Matt Rayner ([Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum](https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/), New Zealand) and colleagues write in the journal [*Notornis*](https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/publications/notornis/)on Northern Buller’s Albatrosses *Thalassarche bulleri platei* in the [Manawatāwhi/Three Kings Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kings_Islands_/_Manawat%C4%81whi).  Six occupied nests were found on Rosemary Rock, with four unguarded live and two dead chicks present.  “Compared with previous observations our count suggests a poor breeding season for Buller’s mollymawk on Rosemary Rock in 2019/20.  [F]urther work is clearly required to ascertain the trajectory and threats to New Zealand’s most northern albatross colony.”

 ![Rosemary Rock chicks](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Bullers/Rosemary_Rock_chicks.jpg)

 *Northern Buller's Albatross adults and chicks on Rosemary Rock, photographs by Kevin Parker*

 Read a [popular account](https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/stories/blog/2020/the-mystery-of-manawatawhi-mollymawks) of the field trip to Rosemary Rock from the Auckland Museum and also a previous [*ACAP Latest News*post](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/3584-new-zealand-s-world-albatross-day-banner-gets-to-rosemary-rock-in-the-three-kings-islands?highlight=WyJyb3NlbWFyeSJd)on the visit.

 With thanks to Kevin Parker, Matt Rayner, and Roger Sharp of Web Support, Birds New Zealand.

 **Reference:**

 Rayner, M.J., Parker, K.A., Neho, T. & Hvid, T. 2020.  Buller’s mollymawk (*Thalassarche bulleri platei*) count at Rosemary Rock, Manawatāwhi (Three Kings Islands).  [*Notornis*67:580-582](https://notornis.osnz.org.nz/node/4512).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 07 January 2020*