PartnershipPartnership forfor thethe EastEast AsianAsian –– AustralasianAustralasian FlywayFlyway ReportReport onon WorkWork andand RecommendationsRecommendations ofof thethe SeabirdSeabird WorkingWorking GroupGroup 2012/132012/13

PaulPaul OO’’Neill,Neill, ChairChair SeabirdSeabird WorkingWorking GroupGroup At MOP6 it was clear the Partnership had limited understanding of seabird issues in the Flyway.

The Seabird Working Group decided to:

1.Define ‘seabirds’ in the Partnership context and gain endorsement 2.Compile a list of all seabird occurring in the Flyway 3.Prioritize these species & focus working group effort

This presentation summarizes our findings A: Identified in the B: Identified on the C: Identified in the EAAFP D: Considered by the EAAFP Partnership EAAFP website under Seabird Working Group EAAFP Seabird Working Document (Appendix the Seabird Working Terms of Reference Group III) Group Gaviidae Gaviidae Gaviidae Divers/Loons Gaviidae Divers/Loons Divers (Loons) Divers/Loons Podicipedidae Grebes Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocoracidae Families of Cormorants Cormorants Cormorants Procellariidae Procellariidae Procellariidae Procellariidae migratory seabirds Shearwaters Shearwaters Shearwaters Shearwaters/Petrels Oceanitidae Oceanitidae Oceanitidae Hydrobatidae in the EAAFP region (Hydrobatidae) Petrels Storm Petrels Storm-Petrels Storm Petrels Pelecanidae Pelecanidae Pelecanidae Pelicans Pelicans (on EAAFP website) Pelicans Laridae Laridae Laridae Gulls, & Gulls, Terns & Gulls Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Skimmers Skimmers Sternidae Terns/Noddies Stercorariidae Stercorariidae Stercorariidae Stercorariidae Skuas Skuas Skuas Skuas Alcidae Alcidae Alcidae Alcidae Auks Auks Auks Auks Sulidae / Boobies/Gannets Fregatidae Fregatidae Frigatebirds Phaethontidae Tropicbirds Diomedeidae Diomedeidae Albatrosses (3 northern Albatrosses (3 northern hemisphere species) hemisphere species) In defining ‘seabirds’ we use the of Birdlife International which was used in a recent global assessment of seabirds (Croxall et al. 2012)

Seabirds are ‘species for which a large proportion of the total population rely on the marine environment for at least part of the year’

We also include a few extra species with similar ecology, but which live largely in estuarine or freshwater environments such as Indian Skimmer Rhynchops albicollis We determined there are 187 seabird species that regularly occur in the Flyway

Of these, 21 species are Southern Ocean species that are subject to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP)

Three ACAP species, all northern hemisphere albatross, are included because they have important breeding sites within the Flyway A further 35 seabird species are not migratory and/or do not breed in the Flyway

These include resident species such as most shags & cormorants, and some highly migratory but non-breeding species such as petrels & prions Of the remaining 131 species, 91 have a IUCN of Least Concern

This leaves 40 seabird species we made the subject of our prioritization process

Of these 40 species:

- 6 are - 5 are Endangered - 17 are Vulnerable - 1 is Data Deficient - 11 are Near Threatened We ran a prioritization process across these 40 threatened migratory seabird species

We used six ecological factors and a set of rules to identify highest priority species:

• Population trend estimate • Population estimate • Threats during breeding season • Threats during non-breeding season • Number of breeding sites • Non-breeding distribution

Further differentiation of species is available using the existence of conservation plans Factors

PTE = Population Trend Estimate 5 = significant population decline (p<0.10) 4 = apparent population decline 3 = apparently stable population or status unknown (if the population trend cannot be classified at all due to lack of appropriate data, the PTE score is shown as ‘U’ for unknown) 2 = apparent population increase 1 = significant population increase PE = Population Estimate 5 = ≤ 25,000 4 = 25,000 – 150,000 3 = 150,000 – 300,000 2 = 300,000 – 1,000,000 1 = > 1,000,000 TB = Threats during Breeding Season 5 = known threats are actually occurring and can be documented (i.e. significant loss to critical habitat) 4 = significant potential threats exist but have not yet occurred (i.e. oil spills) 3 = no known threats, or information not available 2 = threats assumed to be low 1 = demonstrably secure TN = Threats during non-breeding season 5 = known threats are actually occurring and can be documented (i.e. significant loss to critical habitat). Concentration of in an area results in actual risk. 4 = significant potential threats exist but have not yet occurred (i.e. oil spills). Concentration of birds in an area results in high potential risk. 3 = no known threats, or concentration not a risk, or information not available 2 = threats assumed to be low from all factors including concentration 1 = demonstrably secure BS = Number of Breeding Sites 5 = 1 or 2 4 = 3 to 10 3 = 11 to 100 2 = 101 to 1000 1 = > 1000 ND = Non-breeding Distribution 5 = highly restricted ( ≤ 250,000 km 2, or very restricted coastal areas, or interior rangelands) 4 = local (250,000 – 1,000,000 km 2 or ≤ 3000 km of coastline) 3 = intermediate (1,000,000 – 5,000,000 km 2 or 3,000 – 20,000 km of coast) 2 = widespread (5,000,000 – 20,000,000 km 2 or 20,000 – 50,000 km of coast) 1 = very widespread (>20,000,000 km 2 or >50,000 km of coast) Category and Rule

5 = Severe Concern: All species listed Critically Endangered, and species listed Endangered with significant population declines and only one or two known breeding locations. (a. IUCN rank = 5, or b. IUCN rank = 4 & PTE & BS = 5)

4 = Species of High Concern: Species that are listed Endangered , Vulnerable, Data Deficient or Near Threatened, with significant population declines or only one or two known breeding locations. (IUCN rank = 4, 3 or 2 & a. PTE = 5 or b. BS = 5)

3 = Species of Moderate Concern: Species that are listed Vulnerable , Data Deficient or Near Threatened and are either: a) apparently declining with moderate threats or small breeding distributions; b) apparently stable with known or potential threats and moderate to restricted distributions, or; c) relatively small populations and restricted distribution: (IUCN rank = 4, 3 or 2, &: a. PTE = 4 & BS, TB or TN = 4 or 5; b. PTE = 3 & BS, PE, TB, TN or ND = 4 or 5; c. PE = 4 or 5 & BS or ND = 4 or 5)

2 = Species of Low Concern: Species are either a) stable with moderate threats and distribution; b) increasing but with known or potential threats and moderate to restricted distributions; or c) stable population of moderate size: (IUCN rank = 1 or 2, &: a. PTE = 3 & BS, TB, TN or ND = 3, 4 or 5; b. PTE = 2 & BS, TB, TN or ND = 3; or c. PTE = 3 & PE = 1, 2 or 3)

1 = Species Not at Risk: All other species Species CommonName Migrates Flyway? Breeds Flyway? IUCN status PTE BS PE TB TN ND Priority Conservation plans Sterna bernsteini Chinese Crested Migratory Yes CR 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 International Action Plan for the Chinese Crested Tern Brachyramphus brevirostris Kittlitz's Murrelet Migratory Yes CR 5 5 4 5 5 4 5 Alaska Seabird Information Series Fregata andrewsi Christmas Island Migratory Yes CR 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 National Recovery Plan for CI Frigatebird (2004) (AUS) Pseudobulweria becki Beck's Petrel Migratory Yes CR 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Pterodroma magentae Magenta Petrel Migratory Yes CR 2 5 5 5 3 2 5 Chatham Island Taiko recovery plan 2001-2011 (NZ) Oceanites maorianus New Zealand Storm-petrel Migratory Yes CR 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Sterna acuticauda Black-bellied Tern Partial Yes EN 5 3 5 5 5 3 4 Papasula abbotti Abbott's Partial Yes EN 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 National Recovery Plan for Abbott's Booby (2004) Pterodroma axillaris Chatham Petrel Migratory Yes EN 2 4 5 5 5 4 3 Chatham Petrel recovery plan 2001-2011 (NZ) Puffinus huttoni Hutton's Shearwater Migratory Yes EN 5 5 2 5 5 3 5 Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in NZ 2000 Nesofregetta fuliginosa White-throated Storm-petrel Migratory Yes EN 5 3 5 5 3 1 4 Larus saundersi Saunders's Gull Migratory Yes VU 5 3 5 5 5 5 4 Action Plan for the conservation of Saunders's Gull Larus relictus Relict Gull Migratory Yes VU 5 4 4 5 5 4 4 Rissa brevirostris Red-legged Kittiwake Migratory Yes VU 5 3 2 4 4 4 4 Rynchops albicollis Indian Skimmer Partial Yes VU 5 2 5 5 5 4 4 Sterna nereis Fairy Tern Partial Yes VU 5 2 5 5 4 4 4 Synthliboramphus wumizusume Japanese Murrelet Migratory Yes VU 4 3 5 5 5 4 3 Pelecanus crispus Dalmatian Pelican Migratory Yes VU 5 2 5 5 5 4 4 Pterodroma cervicalis White-necked Petrel Migratory Yes VU 2 4 4 5 3 2 3 Pterodroma leucoptera Gould's Petrel Migratory Yes VU 3 4 5 5 3 2 3 Gould's Petrel Recovery Plan 2006 (AUS) Pterodroma cookii Cook's Petrel Migratory Yes VU 5 4 2 5 3 1 4 Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in NZ 2000 Pterodroma pycrofti Pycroft's Petrel Migratory Yes VU 2 3 4 3 3 2 1 Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in NZ 2000 Pterodroma brevipes Collared Petrel Migratory Yes VU 4 4 5 5 3 2 3 Pterodroma solandri Providence Petrel Migratory Yes VU 2 5 4 5 3 1 4 Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010 Puffinus bulleri Buller's Shearwater Migratory Yes VU 3 4 1 4 3 1 3 Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in NZ 2000 Puffinus heinrothi Heinroth's Shearwater Migratory Yes VU 4 5 5 5 3 5 4 Phoebastria albatrus Short-tailed Albatross Migratory Yes VU 2 5 5 5 5 1 4 draft recovery plan (USFWS 2005) Phoebastria nigripes Black-footed Albatross Migratory Yes VU 3 3 4 5 5 1 3 draft recovery plan (USFWS 2005) Oceanodroma matsudairae Matsudaira's Storm-petrel Migratory Yes DD 3 5 5 5 3 1 4 Pagophila eburnea Ivory Gull Migratory Yes NT 3 2 4 5 5 3 3 Brachyramphus perdix Long-billed Murrelet Migratory Yes NT 4 3 2 5 4 3 3 Pelecanus philippensis Spot-billed Pelican Partial Yes NT 4 3 5 5 5 4 3 melanogaster Oriental Partial Yes NT 5 2 4 5 5 3 4 Gavia adamsii Yellow-billed Loon Migratory Yes NT 3 1 4 4 4 2 3 USFWS conservation agreement Pseudobulweria rostrata Tahiti Petrel Migratory Yes NT 4 3 4 5 3 2 3 Pterodroma inexpectata Mottled Petrel Migratory Yes NT 4 3 4 4 3 1 3 Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in NZ 2000 Puffinus griseus Sooty Shearwater Migratory Yes NT 4 2 1 5 5 1 3 Phoebastria immutabilis Laysan Albatross Migratory Yes NT 3 3 1 5 5 1 3 Oceanodroma monorhis Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Migratory Yes NT 5 3 4 5 3 1 4 Oceanodroma tristrami Tristram's Storm-petrel Migratory Yes NT 3 3 4 5 3 1 3 Seabird Working Group agreed actions for 2013/14:

• Finish/polish the seabird prioritization report • Present this information on the Partnership website • Input information into the ‘Seabird Breeding Colony Registry’, starting with highest priority species • Nominate at least one high priority seabird site to the FSN • Encourage partners to evaluate the priority list of seabirds and consider these species and their habitats in any conservation actions The Seabird Working Group seeks from Partners: • Endorsement of 12 seabird families to be considered by the Seabird Working Group & reflecting this on the EAAFP website • Endorsement of proposed actions for the Seabird Working Group for 2013/14