Megan Friesen (Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust, Leigh, New Zealand) and colleagues have produced a report for the Conservation Services Programme of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation that considers the foraging behaviour of the ACAP-listed and globally Vulnerable Black Petrel Procellaria parkinsoni and several shearwater species in relation to longline bait in experimental conditions.  The report considers that “Black petrels exhibit a marked preference for squid and it is possible that using other baits when black petrels are present will help avoid interactions.”

The report’s summary follows:

“Petrels and shearwaters are known to have an extra-ordinary ability to dive while seeking food - shearwaters for example are capable of diving to the astonishing depth of over 65 m. This project aims to document the diving and feeding behaviour of petrels and shearwaters in response to fishing baits to inform future development of methods of reducing seabird by-catch. As fishing baits are attractive, there is a significant risk of fatal interactions between seabirds and commercial and recreational fishing activities. Black petrel Procellaria parkinsoni and flesh-footed shearwater Ardenna carneipes have been identified as being at high risk from commercial fisheries in New Zealand waters, particularly longline fisheries that target snapper and bluenose, in addition to interactions with recreational fishers. This threat is most pronounced during their breeding season (i.e. September-April) as these species migrate out of New Zealand waters during winter. Other species have been observed during this study, notably Buller’s shearwater (A. bulleri) and fluttering shearwater (Puffinus gavia). We present distinctions in the bait preference and diving behaviour of black petrels and flesh-footed shearwaters towards baited experiments.”

Black Petrel, photograph by 'Biz' Bell 

With thanks to Barry Baker.

Reference:

Friesen, M.R., Ross, J.R., Robinson, R., Kozmian-Ledward, L. & Gaskin, C.P. [2017].  Diving & foraging behaviour of petrels & shearwaters.  Leigh: Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust.  26 pp.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 April 2017

Sixty-seven Near Threatened Mottled Petrel Pterodroma inexpectata chicks were relocated from Codfish Island/Whenua Hou off the southern coast of New Zealand last week.  They were taken to a fenced site in the forested 800-ha Boundary Stream Scenic Reserve in the Maungaharuru mountain range, 24 km inland from Hawkes Bay on North Island.  The reserve is known as a “Mainland Island” where intensive control of mammalian predators is carried out.  The chicks will be hand fed in artificial burrows until they fledge, in the expectation they will return after a few years to the locality as breeding adults.

Starting in 2014, this is the fourth time the species has been moved to the area as part of the Poutiri Ao ō Tāne project, bringing the total number of relocated chicks to over 200.

Mottled Petrel and chick

Previously, 50 Vulnerable Cook’s Petrels P. cookii chicks were translocated to the reserve in 2013, with 86 following in 2014 and more over the next two years.

“Poutiri Ao ō Tāne is a unique collaborative ecological and social project aimed at bringing native wildlife back into the lives of people in Hawke's Bay”.

Selected Literature:

Adams, J., Burns, R., Fastier, D. & Hogan, K. 2008.  Boundary Stream Mainland Island Strategic Plan 2008 to 2018.  Gisborne: Department of Conservation.  21 pp.

Hozumi, A., Loznik, B., Chen, Y.W. & von Takach Dukai, B. 2011.  Seabird reintroduction to Boundary Stream Mainland Island.  A strategic guide to the translocation and management of procellariiform birds at Boundary Stream Scenic Reserve.  Wellington: The Seabird Group, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington.  49 pp.

Sagar, R.L., Leseberg, A., Ken Hunt, K., Nakagawa, K., Dunphy, B. & J. Rayner, M.J.  2015.  Optimising translocation efforts of Mottled Petrels (Pterodroma inexpectata): growth, provisioning, meal size and the efficacy of an artificial diet for chicks.  Emu http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MU1405.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 April 2017

David Thompson (National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) and colleagues have produced a report for the Conservation Services Programme of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation on the numbers of globally Near Threatened Buller’s AlbatrossThalassarche bulleri at the Solander Islands based on a combination of aerial photography and ground counts.

The report’s executive summary follows:

“This project, funded by the Conservation Services Programme of the Department of Conservation, comprised one main objective: to produce an updated population estimate of southern Buller’s albatross at the Solander Islands. Solander Island/Hautere was visited by a two-person field team between 25 and 29 February 2016, and additionally on the return trip by helicopter by a photographer. A whole-island group (Solander Island and Little Solander Island) breeding population estimate was derived for southern Buller’s albatross Thalassarche bulleri bulleri using a combination of direct ground counts, counts from vantage points on the ground and counts from photographs of the birds on the islands. Overall, the Solander Islands population was estimated at 5,620 breeding pairs, with 5,280 of these on Solander Island and 340 pairs on Little Solander Island. This estimate is higher than the two previous whole-island estimates, from 2002 and 1996. Trend analysis using TRIM indicated an average population growth rate of 1.36% per year between 1996 and 2016. The Snares Islands/Tini Heke still hold the majority of the southern Buller’s albatross breeding population, with the current Solander Islands population representing approximately 40% of the total. Solander Island is a difficult and challenging place to undertake ground-based census work. It is recommended that in the future aerial surveys, supplemented by ground-based research in specific, relatively easy-access locations, form the basis of population estimates at this site.”

Buller's Albatrosses at the Solanders, photograph by Jean-Claude Stahl

With thanks to Barry Baker.

Reference:

Thompson, D., Sagar, P., Baker, B. & Jensz, K. 2017.  Southern Buller's Albatross Survey at the Solander Islands 2016 Buller's Albatross at the Solander Islands. Prepared for Department of Conservation April 2017.  Wellington: National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd.  18 pp.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 17 April 2017

The globally Endangered Atlantic Yellow-nosed Abatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos breeds only on the Tristan-Gough islands in the South Atlantic, part of the UK’s Overseas Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.  A helicopter-borne aerial photographic survey of the main island of Tristan da Cunha conducted in 2015 has resulted in a breeding estimate of 15 000 pairs (with a range of 9300 to 24 000 pairs), according to a recent report by the UK’s Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds (RSPB).

The aerial survey, the first conducted for the island, is in accord with ACAP’s survey priorities for the species.  A previous estimate for the main island, of 16 000 to 30 000 breeding pairs by Mike Richardson, was based on ground observations made from visits to “all quarters of the island on numerous occasions between 1972 and 1974”.  He provided estimates for four separate quarters of the island, with larger numbers found farther away from the island’s settlement in the north-west quadrant.

Prior to the 1970s the only published estimate is of 3000 pairs over 1950-52 by Sir Hugh Elliott.  Richardson ascribed the increase over two decades to “cessation of egg collecting” on the main island by the Tristan Islanders.  The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross is now fully protected throughout the island group.

The following text describing the 2015 survey is taken from the RSPB’s Annual Report for 2016.

“One of the smallest albatross species in the world, the endangered Atlantic yellownosed albatross, only breeds on the islands of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic. Tracking studies show that they forage right across the South Atlantic Ocean, where sadly they are sometimes accidentally caught as bycatch in fisheries. The Albatross Task Force, which the RSPB leads on behalf of BirdLife International, is working with fishermen [sic] to reduce albatross bycatch in this area. Monitoring the success of these efforts requires robust population estimates of the breeding colonies. Historically, the main island of Tristan da Cunha has been the species’ stronghold but the only estimate of its population (16,000- 30,000 breeding pairs) dates from 1974, and was based on general impressions only. In partnership with the Tristan da Cunha Conservation Department and the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, the RSPB conducted a survey by helicopter in September 2015. By merging more than 600 photographic images, and examining areas of suitable habitat, we estimate that the current population of Tristan da Cunha is around 15,000 pairs (9,300–24,000 pairs). This estimate is being complemented by an updated population estimate from Gough Island, where the previous estimate of 5,100 pairs dates from 2001. Robust population estimates help us to understand the population trend of this globally- threatened species, enabling us to monitor the effectiveness of our actions to reduce bycatch of these beautiful birds at sea.”

Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross chick, photograph by Andrea Angel and Ross Wanless

Selected Literature:

Cuthbert, R.J., Ryan, P.G., Cooper, J. & Hilton, G. 2003.  Demography and population trends of the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos.  Condor 105: 439-452.

Elliott, H.F.I. 1957.  A contribution to the ornithology of the Tristan da Cunha group.  Ibis 99: 545-586.

Hayhow, D.B., Bond, A.L., Douse, A., Eaton, M.A., Frost, T., Grice, P.V., Hall, C., Harris, S.J., Havery, S., Hearn, R.D., Noble, D.G., Oppel, S., Williams, J., Win, I. & Wotton, S. 2017.  The State of the UK’s Birds 2016.  Sandy: Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds.  46 pp.

Richardson, M.E. 1984.  Aspects of the ornithology of the Tristan da Cunha group and Gough Island, 1972-1974. Marine Ornithology 12: 123-201.

[Tristan da Cunha] 2006.  The Conservation of Native Organisms and Natural Habitats (Tristan da Cunha) Ordinance 2006.  The St. Helena Gazette Extraordinary Vol. XLIV, No. 13.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 13 April 2017