--- title: "THE ACAP MONTHLY MISSIVE. Pip pip hooray! Looking after hatching eggs and hatchlings in the Northern Royal Albatross colony at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head" --- # THE ACAP MONTHLY MISSIVE. Pip pip hooray! Looking after hatching eggs and hatchlings in the Northern Royal Albatross colony at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross Sharyn Broni 2](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_Sharyn_Broni_2.jpg) A pipping**Northern Royal Albatross**egg in an artificial incubator (watch [video](https://www.facebook.com/reel/1392530848441838))* The small Northern Royal Albatross *Diomedea sanfordi* colony on New Zealand’s mainland in the [Pukekura/Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve](https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/otago-peninsula-area/taiaroa-head-nature-reserve/) must be one of the most intensively managed seabird colonies anywhere in the world – at least outside attempts to establish new colonies by introductions.  New Zealanders are good at hands-on management, just read up on their successful (and ongoing) efforts to save the [Vulnerable](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-robin-petroica-traversi) Black Robin *Petroica traversi*, the [Critically Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/kakapo-strigops-habroptilus) Kakapo *Strigops* *habroptilus*and the [Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/south-island-takahe-porphyrio-hochstetteri) South Island Takahe *Porphyrio hochstetteri* from looming extinctions.  Three examples, to which we can add the globally [Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/northern-royal-albatross-diomedea-sanfordi) Northern Royal Albatross. The Department of Conservation rangers at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head utilize a plethora of interventions to maximise breeding success.  Their hands-on approach with the birds extends throughout the whole breeding season.  These activities fit well with this year’s celebration of World Albatross Day (WAD2026) on 19 June and its theme of “[Habitat Restoration](https://www.acap.aq/world-albatross-day/wad2026-habitat-restoration)”.  It is therefore intended to feature them in *ACAP Latest News* during the course of the 2025/26 breeding season. To start off, the process followed with hatching eggs and hatchlings in their first week out of the shell is described here by way of captioned pictures.  This must be the most intensive time during the breeding cycle for the rangers and therefore seems  a good place to start. *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross Sharyn Broni dummy egg](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_Sharyn_Broni_dummy_egg.jpg)To avoid fly strike harming chicks during hatching, which can take four to five days, pipping eggs are collected and placed in artificial incubators, while the apparently unconcerned bird receives a dummy egg.  Phlegmatism comes to mind!* *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross Sharyn Broni fly spray](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_Sharyn_Broni_fly_spray.jpg)  At the same time the nest and surrounds are sprayed with a bird-safe insect repellent* *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross Sharyn Broni chick day four](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_Sharyn_Broni_chick_day_four.jpg)Successfully out of its shell after three days in the incubator* *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross Sharyn Broni chick return](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_Sharyn_Broni_chick_return.jpg)Calm acceptance.  Once hatched, the chick is returned to the nest and the dummy egg is removed (watch [video](https://www.facebook.com/reel/790385227422766))* *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross weighing bag](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_weighing_bag.jpg)Department of Conservation rangers then conduct twice-daily health checks and weigh-ins for the first five days after hatching (watch [video](https://www.facebook.com/reel/2109705119767168)), followed by daily checks for the next five days, and then weekly weighing after that.  These measurements help confirm that the chick is growing as expected* **![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross spraying bum DOC](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_spraying_bum_DOC.jpg)* Upside down!  During weighing the chick can get a squirt of insect repellant.  P**aper towels might be placed under the chicks to absorb moisture from rain* *![Egg pipping Northern Royal Albatross WYL feeds chick seecond time](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Egg_pipping_Northern_Royal_Albatross_WYL_feeds_chick_seecond_time.jpg)Happy family.  The mate returns from sea to feed its chick (watch [video](https://www.facebook.com/reel/1575275543788493))* Watch one pair throughout the breeding season via the 24-hour [Royal Cam](https://AllAboutBirds.org/Albatross). Information and photographs by Sharyn Broni and the Department of Conservation from the [Bird Cams](https://www.facebook.com/birdcams) and [Royal Cam Albatross Group New Zealand](https://www.facebook.com/groups/991026361293354/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZbSPPpNsQhzKeo08oRY1ZCa0xl5hgerv-sBgbo1jyN55Gss4jV87Gsn2GDKi8do6e-wwkFOduOrzgzg7TxWkaPpA4MVwxYE64i7TpkBi2rp3XO-nrmMQH9GJOFOKbdZEmxcDktij8_oDQMVN5Sq3iUF7wTq7PrUcyCXGSd-DgSe4mvQG4CBu718BoNR9kGXRR_75x3-dG2jgC5g5EeAtK1x&__tn__=-UC%2CP-R) Facebook pages. *John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 30 January 2026*