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6 Notornis, 2005, Vol. 52: 6-10 0029-4470 © The Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Inc. 2005 The second census of Chatham Island shag and Pitt Island shag – are numbers declining? ADAM J. BESTER Department of Conservation, PO Box 114, Te One, Chatham Islands, New Zealand. [email protected] MATT CHARTERIS Department of Conservation, PO Box 114, Te One, Chatham Islands, New Zealand. Abstract A census of Chatham Island shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) and Pitt Island shag (Strictocarbo featherstoni), both endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, was conducted during their 2003/04 breeding season. Totals of 271 pairs of Chatham Island shags and 547 pairs of Pitt Island shags were recorded. Compared with the only previous survey (in 1997/98), numbers of both species were signifi cantly lower. This decline most likely refl ects broad scale marine changes affecting the birds’ food supply. Alternatively, it may suggest variability in the timing of breeding between seasons. Bester, A.J.; Charteris, M. 2005. The second census of Chatham Island shag and Pitt Island shag – are numbers declining? Notornis 52(1): 6-10. Keywords Chatham Island shag; Leucocarbo onslowi; Pitt Island shag; Strictocarbo featherstoni; census; population size; distribution INTRODUCTION METHODS The Chatham Island shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) and The census was conducted by two observers from Pitt Island shag (Strictocarbo featherstoni) are endemic 21 October 2003 to 6 January 2004. The entire to the Chatham Islands where they have restricted coastline of the Chatham Islands was surveyed coastal ranges. Both species were comprehensively to locate the shags’ nesting colonies following the surveyed in the 1997/1998 season and estimates of methods of Bell & Bell (2000). However, the census the total number of breeding pairs for the majority of The Sisters was undertaken by a birdwatching of the Chatham’s group obtained (Bell & Bell 2000). contingent in rough sea conditions. Only occupied No other counts have been attempted over the nest sites (or, if late in the season, nests recently entire island during one season but counts of some used) were counted and mapped. One nest was colonies have been reported by Fleming (1939), considered to represent one breeding pair. Roost Morris (1977), Robertson & Bell (1984), Imber (1994) sites were mapped but individual roosting birds and C.J.R. Robertson (pers.comm). were not counted. Areas surveyed were Chatham This paper presents results from the second Island, The Sisters, The Forty Fours, Western Reef, complete census of the Chatham Island shag and Ngatikitiki Rocks, Pitt Island, Rangatira, North- Pitt Island shag on the Chatham Islands. The survey East Reef, The Pyramid, Mangere Island, Little was conducted during the 2003/2004 breeding Mangere, The Castle, Rabbit Island, Murumurus, season. Information was collected on nest location, Star Keys, Seal Rock, Black Rock, Te Wakaru Island, colony size and threats to the colony. Photopoints Fancy Rock, and islands and rock stacks within Te were also established to identify changes in Whanga Lagoon (see Figures 1 & 2). Chatham Island shag colonies over time. This To determine any temporal variability census was undertaken under the Chatham Island throughout the season, two Chatham Island shag shag and Pitt Island shag recovery plan (Aikman et colonies were surveyed twice, in November and al. 2001), wherein complete surveys of both species again in December. Searches were performed on are requested every fi ve years. foot, by vehicle, by dinghy and by fi shing boat. Binoculars and a telescope were used where necessary to view the coastline. A total of 63 person Received 17 December 2004; accepted 20 January 2005 hours were spent searching for shag nests on land, Editor M.Williams and 20 hours spent searching by boat and dinghy. Chatham Island and Pitt Island shag census 7 Figure 1 Location and size of Rangitatahi Chatham Island shag breeding (The Sisters) colonies during the 2003/04 breeding season (n = 271 pairs). Cape Young 1 1 Ngatikitiki Rocks Matarakau 35 Kaingaroa 11 4 Te Wakaru Island Cape Patterson Okawa Point 47 Port Hutt Western Reef Chatham Island e Whanga Lagoon Point Weeding Te One T (Rekohu, Wharekauri) 5 Waitangi Motuhara (The Fourty Fours) Owenga Cape Fournier 30 4 The Pinnacles Ko Orea Point Black Rock 81 Rabbit Island 20 15 Kokepa Rock Pitt Island Motuhope (Star Keys) Mangere (Rangiauria) Tapuaenuku (Little Mangere) North-east Reef Rangiwheau (The Castle) Rangatira North Island (South East Island) Muramurus Fancy Rock Chatham Tarakoikoia (The Pyramid) Islands South Island N Stewart Island Bounty Is 0 10 20 30 40 km Antipodes Is RESULTS Fournier (24), Point Munning (22) and south of Chatham Island shag Point Weeding (19). The colonies, which ranged in The breeding population of Chatham Island shags size from 1 to 43 pairs, were more fragmented and was estimated to be 271 pairs distributed at 13 widespread than Chatham Island shag colonies. colonies (Table 1). The largest colony was on Star Keys The number of colonies recorded in this survey was (in two groups, total 81 pairs), followed by Okawa similar to previous estimates but the total estimated Point (47), Matarakau (35) and the Pinnacles (30). population represented a 24.9% decline from the This represents a 67.8 % decrease in total breeding 1997/98 census. pairs since 1997/98 (Bell & Bell 2000). All colonies had decreased since the last survey, with some DISCUSSION colonies totally disappearing (i.e. Cape Fournier This survey found Chatham Island shags had a and Shag Rock near Motuhinahina). However, signifi cantly smaller breeding population than the some newly-established colonies have been formed previous survey in the 1997/98 breeding season. at the Pinnacles, Kaingaroa east, Cape Patterson, Given that the same methodologies were used, this Cape Young and Kokepa Rock result could constitute a real decline in this species. Most Chatham Island shag colonies had Pitt Island shag declined. Two major colonies, Cape Fournier and The Pitt Island shag population was estimated to Shag Rock near Motuhinahina had disappeared be 547 pairs (Table 1). The main breeding colonies completely, although two major new colonies had were Star Keys (43 pairs), Boat Harbour on Pitt been established on the Pinnacles and Kokepa Island (35), the south coast of Rangatira (31), Cape Rock, and minor colonies at Kaingaroa east, Cape 8 Bester & Charteris Rangitatahi Figure 2 Location and size of Pitt (The Sisters) Island shag breeding colonies during the 2003/04 breeding 14 Cape Young season (n = 547 pairs). 32 Ngatikitiki Rocks Matarakau 11 Kaingaroa Cape Patterson 9 Te Wakaru Island Okawa Point 20 Port Hutt 10 21 Motuhinahina 7 Western Reef 9 Chatham Island e Whanga Lagoon Te One T (Rekohu, Wharekauri) Point Weeding 33 Waitangi Motuhara (The Fourty Fours) 15 Owenga 28 24 Cape Fournier The Pinnacles Ko Orea Point 14 Black Rock Rabbit Island 54 43 19 18 Pitt Island Motuhope Mangere (Rangiauria) (Star Keys) 35 Tapuaenuku (Little Mangere) North-east Reef Rangiwheau 4 1 (The Castle) 14 7 Rangatira North Island 43 (South East Island) Muramurus 45 Fancy Rock Chatham Tarakoikoia (The Pyramid) Islands South Island N Stewart Island Bounty Is 0 10 20 30 40 km Antipodes Is Young and Cape Patterson. Although historical Similarly, Pitt Island shags have decreased fi gures are rare, those counts suggest that Chatham signifi cantly since the 1997/98 survey. Pitt Island Island shags were formerly more common than shags are more widespread than Chatham Island today. For example, Fleming (1939) mentioned shags and were found predominantly on Mangere, the large colonies on Star Keys and Rabbit Island Rangatira, Star Keys, Boat Harbour (Pitt Island) and and that they were ‘very common’ in Pitt Strait Point Munning (Chatham Island). A small colony and around the main island. C.J.R. Robertson (in was also found on Shag Rock in Te Whanga lagoon, Marchant & Higgins 1990) stated that there were 530 as previously identifi ed by Bell & Bell (2000). nests on the Star Keys, and Morris (1977) reported Slightly more birds were found south of Pitt Strait 80+ nests at Cape Fournier. In 1961 Okawa Point (283 pairs) compared to north of Pitt Strait (264 had 68 nests and Matarakau had 50 nests (Imber pairs). The number of colonies has remained stable 1994). According to Bell & Bell (2000) the number but colonies have shifted to new locations since the of colonies has been relatively stable over the last 1997/98 season, suggesting that colonies change 40 years but colony location has tended to vary. quite frequently. Interestingly Bell & Bell (2000) noted that the newly Marchant & Higgins (1990) reported no threats established colony at Cape Fournier in the 1997/98 to survival, however, we found recently-used shot season was probably due to birds shifting from gun cartridges at a small Pitt Island shag colony The Pinnacles. It appears that some of these birds south of Owenga. Recently-used nests were have now moved back to The Pinnacles and have found although no chicks were observed at a time abandoned the Cape Fournier site. when most other Pitt Island shags had chicks. It Chatham Island and Pitt Island shag census 9 Table 1 Number of active nests of Chatham Island shags and Pitt Island shags observed in 1997/98 (Bell & Bell 2000) and 2003/04 breeding seasons (* count made by visiting birdwatchers in rough sea conditions – count may not be comparable). Chatham Island shag nests Pitt Island shag nests 1997/98 2003/04 1997/98 2003/04 Ko Orea Pt 7 4 Chatham Island 340 247 Pinnacles 0 30 Rabbit Island 29 18 Cape Fournier 115 0 Pitt Island 141 144 Okawa Point 114 47 The Castle 6 14 Kaingaroa (East) 0 1 Little Mangere 3 0 Matarakau 53 35 Mangere 20 19 Ngatikitiki Rocks 38 4 Rangatira 63 45 Cape Patterson 0 11 Star Keys 46 43 Cape Young 0 1 The Sisters 71 9* Point Weeding 6 5 The Forty Fours 9 4 Motuhinahina 68 0 Western Reef 0 4 Rabbit Island 83 20 North-east Reef 19 17 Kokepa Rock 0 15 Star Keys 339 81 TOTAL 842 271 TOTAL 728 547 Locations 10 13 Locations 63 64 % decline 67.82% % decline 24.86% is possible that these birds were shot.
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