DOCSLIB.ORG

Birds and Mammals of the Subantarctic Islands

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

FALLA: BIRDS AND l\1AMMALS 63 General pollen analysis may not be fruitful in elucidat- ing the history of this noble composite in the The luxuriant growth of O. lyallii, and Auckland Islands. the large numbers of young plants, with germination even in cracks in the bark of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS prostrate trunks, have often been noted-for instance by Cockayne (1904) and Dorrien- I am very grateful to Dr. R. A. Falla for a vegetation map of Ewing Island on which Fig. 4 is based and Smith (1908). Although Cockayne could see for his interest in these problems; and to Mr. K. R. no reason why it "should not be the dominant West for preparing the illustrations. forest of the Southern Islands", O. lyallii has always been considered as fighting a losing REFERENCES battle in the Auckland Islands. To Dorrien- Smith (1908) it was swamped out by rata, CHAPMAN, F. R., 1891. The outlying islands of New Zealand. Trans. N.Z. Inst. 23: 491-522. "hence its disappearance from the main COCKAYNE,L., 1904. A botanical excursion during mid- islands"; to Cockayne (1904) it was perhaps winter to the southern islands of New Zealand. a relic of a former primeval forest, "ousted by Trans. N.Z. Inst. 36: 225-333. a new formation as the conditions changed"; COCKAYNE, L., 1907. In southern seas. The Auckland Islands. N.Z. Times, 11 Dee. and he also considered "that the tree in question COCKAYNE,L., 1909. The ecological botany of the sub- may have been a member of the now vanished antarctic islands of New Zealand. In The Sub- and problematical forest of an ancient antarctic Islands of New Zealand. Phil. Inst. of Antarctic continent" (Cockayne 1907; d. also Canterbury. COCKAYNE, L., 1927. New Zealand plants and their 1928: 174). story. 3rd. edn. Govt. Printer, Wellington. I suggest that O. lyallii is in fact increasing COCKAYNE, L., 1928. Vegetation of New Zealand. 2nd its area on the Auckland Islands, and that the edn. Engelmann, Leipzig. DORRIEN-SMITH, A. A., 1908. The southern islands present populations are derived from a rela- expedition. Kew Bull. 6: 239-249. tively recent immigration, probably in the early FALLA, R. A., 1948. The outlying islands of New Zea- 19th century, with Ewing 1. as the point of land. N.Z. Geographer 4:127-154. entry. From here, it is suggested, the species HOOKER, J. D., 1847. Flora Antarctica. Vol. 1. Reeye Bros., London. moved east to points around Ross Harbour, and HOOKER, J. D., 1867. Handbook of the New Zealand soutbwards along the coast (Fig. 5). Flora. Reeve & Co., London. The source of O. lyallii would probably be LEAMY, M. L., and BLAKEMORE,L. c., 1960. The peat soils of the Auckland Islands. N.Z. J. Agr. Res. 3: the Snares, the only other locality where it is 626-546. usually recognised as occurring. But when M'CORMICK, R., 1884. Voyages of discovery in the speculating on the history of this species it Arctic and Antarctic seas. Pt. 1. Sampson, London. should be recalled that specimens from Milford MOAR, N. T., 1958a. Contributions to the quaternary history of the New Zealand Flora. 1. Auckland Sound (Hooker 1867) and from Stewart Island Island peat studies. N.Z. J. Sci. 1: 449-465. and the Bluff (Cockayne 1927, 1928) have been MOAR, N. T., 1958b. Notes on the botany of the Auck. considered similar to or identical with O. lyallii. land Islands. N.Z. J. Sci. 1: 466-479. OLIVER, W. R. B., 1927. New Zealand's subantarctic As Moar (1958 a) mentions the difficulty of isles. Typescript held at Dominion Museum, Well- distinguishing O. lyallii pollen from that of ington. (Printed with modifications in the Evening the Pleurophyllums, particularly P. hookeri, Post, Wellington, 16 April 1927.) BIRDS AND MAMMALS OF THE SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS R. A. FALLA Dominion .Museum, Wellington If comprehensive limits are allowed for a northern zone vvith some derivative sub- zone in the New Zealand area designated antarctic elements only and this is clearly 'Subantarctic', it would include the outlyers distinguisha ble from the middle zone which of Stewart 1., the Snares and the Chathams would include Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes in the north, and Macquarie I. in the south. and Bounty Is. The southern zone represented There is, however, a very mixed fauna in the by MacquCtrie is distinguishable again, its 64 ECOLOGY OF SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS main elements being strongly circumpolar in land Islands, the so-called South Georgian affinities. For example, Macquarie has three diving petrel, which requires specialised con- genera of penguins found also in the Indian ditions for burrowing, appears to be on the and Atlanlic seclors of the Subantarctic and verge of exlinction. not otherwise found in the New Zealand Sub- antarctic as defined above. The sub-species Among the land birds, there are some of one of the mollymawks breeding at Mac- interesting differences between the islands. quarie is a circumpolar form and differs from The varied environment of the Aucklarid Is. an endemic race breeding at Cambell r. The can be correlated with a correspondingly same is true of the wandering albatrosses * varied avifauna. There are two endemic and the cormorants of these two areas so that waterfowl, the merganser, extinct, and the Macquarie may be excluded from the more flightless duck. In addition there are three descriptive part of this paper except for some self-introduced surface-feeding ducks, including comparisons. For the same reason Foveaux the mallard. There is even one endemic resi- Strait, the Snares and Chatham Is. are not dent shore bird, the Auckland Is. banded dealt with in detail. This leaves the other dotterel, and a small migrant population of four island groups for consideration. five or six wader species from the northern hemisphere. The two New Zealand birds of prey, the harrier and the falcon, are both BIRDS present. There have been one or more rails. Oceanic birds breeding in these groups show now probably extinct, and of New Zealand remarka ble uniformity except for the limits .forest birds, one flycatcher, two parakeets, two imposed and opportunities provided by varied honeyeaters and the ubiquitous white-eye. surface features and vegetation. Together with the pipit and six European Seventeen species of albatrosses and petrels passerines self-introduced from New Zealand are recorded as breeding at the Auckland Is. we are presented with a reasonably repre- About 15 of these also occur at Campbell 1. sentative land bird fauna. Modifying factors but almost certainly in reduced numbers conl- have been comparatively slight. The spread of pared with former abundance. Petrels at pigs, feral dogs, cats and probably rats at some Antipodes Is. are practically the same as on stage has rendered the main Auckland Is. Campbell 1., but the Bounty Is. have consider- unfavourable for the breeding of one or two ably fewer species. There are in fact no strongly vulnerable species, notably the snipe, the endemic races of petrels or penguins at any flightless duck and the red-fronted parrakeet, one of these four groups. The marine but there is extensive safe terrain for all these cormorants on the other hand have distin- on Adams I. and on several sizeable outlyers guishable endemic races at Aucklands, Camp- around Port Ross. It is a little more difficult bell and Bounty, while the very few cor- to account for the apparent extinction of the morants nesting at Antipodes have !lever been merganser. These birds undoubtedly bred in accurately identified. Petrels are, of course, the vicinity of numerous mountain streams in concerned with the land only for nesting and the gullies, depending for food on the local their density on the breeding areas is affected population of Galaxias and possibly supple- by many factors. At Antipodes disturbance has menting it with marine fish close inshore in never been very severe and birds are un- the fiords and harbours. It was certainly a doubtedly denser there than on any other target for hungry sealers and castaways but subantarctic island with the exception of the still survived at the turn of the century. Since Bounty. At Campbell Is. the ground has 1904 no trace of the merganser has been been considerably modified and breeding found. petrels are largely confined to remote and Campbell 1. lacks the varied vegetation and inaccessible outlying stacks. This modifica- the more complex terrain of the Aucklands tion on Campbell 1. has produced a more and it is not surprising that the essentially uniform vegetation which may have main- forest species of the Auckland Is. are lacking. tained a high population of the royal albatross. Grasstree (Dracophyllum) and tussock offer There is no evidence that any oceanic birds a restricted habitat and the extensive firing have become extinct within historic times as over many years and grazing of stock over so many evidently have at the Chatham Is.; but one of the two diving petrels at the Auck- ... Specific names of birds are given in Table 1. FALLA: BIRDS AND MAMMALS 65 nearly as many have produced conditions in demonstrations and the almost complete which only wide-ranging flocks of small absence of predatory skuas. This is clearly passerines can flourish. With few exceptions related to the effective 'umbrella' cover pro- these appear to be the more recent introduc- vided by the waving beaks of the thousands tions, white-eyes and the six or seven Euro- of mollymawks. No doubt there is interspecific pean passerines. There are a few pipits, adjustment between the mollymawks and the probably distinguishable as endemic, and a penguins but it is a relatively low premium flightless duck also a barely distinguishable for insurance against direct predation.
Recommended publications
  • First Record of a Broad-Billed Prion Pachyptila Vittata at Coronation Island, South Orkney Islands

    First Record of a Broad-Billed Prion Pachyptila Vittata at Coronation Island, South Orkney Islands

    Blight & Woehler: First record of a Broad-billed Prion at Coronation Island 191 FIRST RECORD OF A BROAD-BILLED PRION PACHYPTILA VITTATA AT CORONATION ISLAND, SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS LOUISE K. BLIGHT1,2 & ERIC J. WOEHLER3 1Procellaria Research and Consulting, 944 Dunsmuir Road, Victoria, British Columbia, V9A 5C3, Canada 2Current address: Centre for Applied Conservation Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada ([email protected]) 3School of Zoology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7005, Australia Received 15 April 2008, accepted 2 August 2008 The known breeding distribution of Broad-billed Prions Pachyptila or as a bird blown out of its normal at-sea range by strong winds vittata is restricted to Tristan da Cunha and Gough Islands in the during poor weather. Alternatively, there may be low numbers of South Atlantic Ocean and to offshore islands around New Zealand Broad-billed Prions breeding at poorly-surveyed sub-Antarctic and the Snares and Chatham Islands, with the range at sea believed colonies, such as the South Orkney Islands. Antarctic Prions are one to extend to coastal South Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean and of the most numerous seabird species in the Antarctic (Marchant & near-shore waters around New Zealand (Marchant & Higgins 1990). Higgins 1990); they nest in the South Orkney Islands (Marchant & The taxonomy of prions remains controversial, with most authors Higgins 1990). It is possible that low numbers of breeding Broad- recognising up to six species, but varying numbers of subspecies. billed Prions have been overlooked amongst their congeners. The at-sea ranges of many Southern Ocean seabird species are Although no sympatric breeding sites are known for the two species still incompletely described, with relatively few surveys obtaining (Shirihai 2002) and the presence of this bird may have been an at-sea data for prions.
  • Salvin's Prion Pachyptila Salvini Captured Alive on Beach at Black Rocks, Victoria, 27Th July 1974

    Salvin's Prion Pachyptila Salvini Captured Alive on Beach at Black Rocks, Victoria, 27Th July 1974

    1 Salvin’s Prion Pachyptila salvini captured alive on beach at Black Rocks, Victoria, 27th July 1974 by Mike Carter Fig. 1. Ailing Salvin’s Prion captured alive on beach at Black Rocks, Victoria, 27 July 1974 During a gale on 27th July 1974, a Salvin’s Prion was observed flying over the breakers just beyond the rocks on the beach at Black Rocks, Victoria. Obviously debilitated, it came ashore and sought refuge in rock pools. It was rescued but died within five hours. This observation was made by a group of local and international seabird enthusiasts that included Dr Bill Bourne (from the UK), Gavin Johnstone & Noels Kerry from the Australian Antarctic Division, Peter Menkhorst, Richard Loyn, Paul Chick and me. Overseas and interstate visitors had joined locals to attend an International Ornithological Congress in Melbourne. The attached photos are recent digital copies of transparencies taken immediately after capture. Dimensions in mm measured as described in Marchant & Higgins (1990) on 29-07-74. (L = left, R = right), Wing 191; Tail 94; Tarsus (L) 36.4, (R) 35.9; Middle toe (L) 45.2, (R) 45.7; Claw (L) 8.8, (R) 8.0. Culmen (C) 31.8; Width (W) 16.4; Ratio (C)/ (W) 1.94: Bill depth max 13.2; Bill depth min 7.2. Apparent bulk = 1/4CW(BDmax+BDmin) = 2661 cub mm. I find this generated number to be a good discriminator for identifying Victorian prion corpses. 2 Figs. 2 to 5. Ailing Salvin’s Prion captured alive on beach at Black Rocks, Victoria, 27 July 1974 Identification Identification at the time was based mainly on information in Serventy, Serventy & Warham (1971).
  • Procellariidae Species Tree

    Procellariidae Species Tree

    Procellariidae I Snow Petrel, Pagodroma nivea Antarctic Petrel, Thalassoica antarctica Fulmarinae Cape Petrel, Daption capense Southern Giant-Petrel, Macronectes giganteus Northern Giant-Petrel, Macronectes halli Southern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides Atlantic Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis Pacific Fulmar, Fulmarus rodgersii Kerguelen Petrel, Aphrodroma brevirostris Peruvian Diving-Petrel, Pelecanoides garnotii Common Diving-Petrel, Pelecanoides urinatrix South Georgia Diving-Petrel, Pelecanoides georgicus Pelecanoidinae Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Pelecanoides magellani Blue Petrel, Halobaena caerulea Fairy Prion, Pachyptila turtur ?Fulmar Prion, Pachyptila crassirostris Broad-billed Prion, Pachyptila vittata Salvin’s Prion, Pachyptila salvini Antarctic Prion, Pachyptila desolata ?Slender-billed Prion, Pachyptila belcheri Bonin Petrel, Pterodroma hypoleuca ?Gould’s Petrel, Pterodroma leucoptera ?Collared Petrel, Pterodroma brevipes Cook’s Petrel, Pterodroma cookii ?Masatierra Petrel / De Filippi’s Petrel, Pterodroma defilippiana Stejneger’s Petrel, Pterodroma longirostris ?Pycroft’s Petrel, Pterodroma pycrofti Soft-plumaged Petrel, Pterodroma mollis Gray-faced Petrel, Pterodroma gouldi Magenta Petrel, Pterodroma magentae ?Phoenix Petrel, Pterodroma alba Atlantic Petrel, Pterodroma incerta Great-winged Petrel, Pterodroma macroptera Pterodrominae White-headed Petrel, Pterodroma lessonii Black-capped Petrel, Pterodroma hasitata Bermuda Petrel / Cahow, Pterodroma cahow Zino’s Petrel / Madeira Petrel, Pterodroma madeira Desertas Petrel, Pterodroma
  • Conservation Advice Pachyptila Tutur Subantarctica

    Conservation Advice Pachyptila Tutur Subantarctica

    THREATENED SPECIES SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The Minister’s delegate approved this conservation advice on 01/10/2015 Conservation Advice Pachyptila tutur subantarctica fairy prion (southern) Conservation Status Pachyptila tutur subantarctica (fairy prion (southern)) is listed as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act). The species is eligible for listing as Vulnerable as, prior to the commencement of the EPBC Act, it was listed as Vulnerable under Schedule 1 of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 (Cwlth). The main factor that is the cause of the species being eligible for listing in the Vulnerable category is its small population size (250-1000 mature individuals). The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010 considered the Australian breeding population of the fairy prion (southern) as Endangered under Criterion D (Australian breeding population is <250 mature individuals) (Garnett et al., 2011). The Threatened Species Scientific Committee are using the findings of Garnett et al., (2011) to consider whether reassessment of the conservation status of each of threatened birds listed under the EPBC Act is required. Description The fairy prion is the smallest of the Australian prions, with a wingspan of about 56 cm. They have a short narrow bill with a strong hook narrowly separated from the nasal tubes. The fairy prion is grey-blue above, with a darker grey crown, and grey eye stripe. The eyes are dark and highlighted above and below the grey eye stripe by white plumage. The tail is triangular and has a thick dark bank at the tip (Pizzey & Knight 1999).
  • South Africa Prince Edward Islands RIS 2006 E

    South Africa Prince Edward Islands RIS 2006 E

    Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) – 2006-2008 version Available for download from http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris_index.htm. Categories approved by Recommendation 4.7 (1990), as amended by Resolution VIII.13 of the 8th Conference of the Contracting Parties (2002) and Resolutions IX.1 Annex B, IX.6, IX.21 and IX. 22 of the 9 th Conference of the Contracting Parties (2005). Notes for compilers: 1. The RIS should be completed in accordance with the attached Explanatory Notes and Guidelines for completing the Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands. Compilers are strongly advised to read this guidance before filling in the RIS. 2. Further information and guidance in support of Ramsar site designations are provided in the Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Wise Use Handbook 7, 2 nd edition, as amended by COP9 Resolution IX.1 Annex B). A 3 rd edition of the Handbook, incorporating these amendments, is in preparation and will be available in 2006. 3. Once completed, the RIS (and accompanying map(s)) should be submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat. Compilers should provide an electronic (MS Word) copy of the RIS and, where possible, digital copies of all maps. 1. Name and address of the compiler of this form: FOR OFFICE USE ONLY . DD MM YY John Cooper Co-opted Member, PEIMC c/o Avian Demography Unit Designation date Site Reference Number Department of Statistical Sciences University of Cape Town Rondebosch 7701 SOUTH AFRICA Tel: +27-21-650-3426; Fax +27-21-650-3434 [email protected] Contact: Mr Henry Valentine Chair Prince Edward Islands Management Committee Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism P.O.
  • New Prion Discovered on Gough Island Breeding on a Stack Off St Paul Island

    New Prion Discovered on Gough Island Breeding on a Stack Off St Paul Island

    NEWS & VIEWS ROSS WANLESS BEN DILLEY a narrow margin Prions formerly were abundant at Amster- Paul Visser and Henk Louw found chicks in above, left A Broad-billed Prion, showing its dam and St Paul islands in the southern In- Prion Cave in January, several months after broad, blackish bill, incubating on a nest in PETER RYAN dian Ocean, but following the introduction Broad-billed Prion chicks fledge. In 2013, an outbuilding of the Gough Island weather of rats only a small number of birds survive, Ben was able to confirm that the narrow- station in mid-August. NEW PRION DISCOVERED ON GOUGH ISLAND breeding on a stack off St Paul Island. How- billed birds in Prion Cave and Gonydale lay ever, newly-fledged prions have narrower eggs in late November, three months later above By comparison, a medium-billed prion, eabirds comprise barely three per cent Fregetta maoriana. To discover a new species the Percy FitzPatrick Institute. When they bills than adults, so I was concerned that this than the broad-billed birds. This marked dif- incubating in Prion Cave in mid-December has of the world’s birds and, given their of prion breeding in vast numbers on Gough returned to Cape Town, I was sceptical when factor was confounding the local differences ference in breeding season argues strongly a narrower, blue-edged bill. popularity with scientists and birders Island almost beggars belief. they told me there were two types of prions in bill size at Gough Island. But I was suffi- that the narrow-billed birds are a new species alike,S it is surprising when an entirely new Gough Island, in the central South Atlan- on Gough.
  • A Biophysical Profile of the Tristan Da Cunha Archipelago (PDF)

    A Biophysical Profile of the Tristan Da Cunha Archipelago (PDF)

    A biophysical profile of Tristan da Cunha -Sue Scott - 2017 A Biophysical Profile of the Tristan da Cunha Archipelago Sue Scott Commissioned and reviewed by The Pew Charitable Trusts 2017 1 A biophysical profile of Tristan da Cunha -Sue Scott - 2017 Contents 1. Key information on Tristan da Cunha 7 2. Geophysical setting 11 2.1. Isolated islands 11 2.2. Geology and topography 11 2.3. Climate 17 3. The ecology and biodiversity of the marine ecosystems of Tristan da Cunha 21 3.1. The pelagic ecosystem 21 3.1.1. Oceanography and ecosystem productivity 21 3.1.2. Plankton and pelagic life 25 3.1.3. Pelagic fishes 27 3.2. Marine biological surveys 29 3.3. The coastal environment 32 3.3.1. The seabed 32 3.3.2. Tides 34 3.3.3. Seashore 35 3.3.4. Intertidal bedrock and stable boulders 35 3.3.5. Rock pools and channels 39 3.3.6. Boulder beaches 42 3.4. Shallow subtidal to 40m depth 43 3.5. Deeper subtidal 45 3.6. Deep sea 48 3.7. Diversity and biogeography of benthic biota 53 3.7.1. Diversity and biogeography of fish communities 53 3.7.2. Diversity and biogeography of invertebrates 57 3.7.3. Diversity and biogeography of macroalgae 60 4. Marine mammals of Tristan da Cunha 67 4.1. Introduction 67 4.2. Seals (order Carnivora) 68 4.2.1. Eared Seals (family Otariidae) 68 4.2.2 True Seals (family Phocidae) 70 4.2.3. Rare vagrant seals 72 4.3.

  • A Review of the Distribution and Size of Prion (Pachyptila Spp.) Colonies Throughout New Zealand

    Tuhinga 27: 56–80 Copyright © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (2016) A review of the distribution and size of prion (Pachyptila spp.) colonies throughout New Zealand Sarah E. Jamieson,*‡ Alan J.D. Tennyson,* Kerry-Jayne Wilson,** Elizabeth Crotty,* Colin M. Miskelly,* Graeme A. Taylor*** and Susan M. Waugh* *Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington, New Zealand **West Coast Penguin Trust, PO Box 70, Charleston, West Coast, New Zealand ***Department of Conservation, PO Box 10420, Wellington, New Zealand ‡ Current address: Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, c/o Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada ABSTRACT: Prions are among of the most numerous birds of the Southern Ocean, and yet their populations are poorly documented. New Zealand has breeding populations of four of the six recognised species, all with large population sizes. The remaining two species occur naturally in the New Zealand zone but do not breed there. This review reports data collated from the scientific literature, government archives and unpublished information about the population sizes of prions gathered since earliest scientific records in New Zealand (1773, during James Cook’s second voyage) until the present day. The study focuses on breeding populations, and reports data about population size and presence or absence of prion populations from sites throughout the New Zealand region. The summary presented provides a solid baseline for future population assessments and identifies priority sites where future surveys are warranted. KEYWORDS: prions, Pachyptila, population sizes, population distribution, Procellariiformes, range, seabirds, New Zealand.
  • A New Species of Pliocene Shearwater (Aves: Procellariidae) from New Zealand Alan J.D

    A New Species of Pliocene Shearwater (Aves: Procellariidae) from New Zealand Alan J.D

    Tuhinga 29: 1–19 Copyright © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (2018) 1 A new species of Pliocene shearwater (Aves: Procellariidae) from New Zealand Alan J.D. Tennyson* and Al A. Mannering** * Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington 6140, New Zealand ([email protected]) ** 8 Roswell Place, Christchurch 8042, New Zealand ([email protected]) ABSTRACT: We describe two partial but well-preserved Late Pliocene fossil skeletons from Taranaki, New Zealand, as a new species of seabird. In structure, these bones match those of a shearwater (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) but the new taxon is distinguished from all known extant and extinct taxa by a unique combination of features. It was a gliding species as large as the largest species of extant shearwater. It represents the first pre- Pleistocene record of a new shearwater taxon from the western Pacific and helps reveal the history of shearwater evolution. Today, New Zealand has the greatest diversity of breeding shearwater species in the world, and the new fossil adds weight to other evidence that shearwaters have a long history in this region. KEYWORDS: Procellariiformes, Procellariidae, shearwater, fossil, Pliocene, biogeography, New Zealand. Introduction shearwaters are sister taxa, and the other large shearwaters are sister to that clade (Austin 1996; Heidrich et al. 1998; Shearwaters are among the most diverse group of Nunn & Stanley 1998; Austin et al. 2004; Penhallurick & Procellariiformes (albatrosses, petrels, prions and shearwaters). Wink 2004; Onley & Scofield 2007). Phylogenetic studies have found the shearwaters to be a The taxonomy of the shearwaters (Procellariidae) monophyletic clade within the family Procellariidae (e.g.
  • Population Estimates of Burrow-Nesting Petrels Breeding at the Nightingale Island Group, Tristan Da Cunha Archipelago

    Population Estimates of Burrow-Nesting Petrels Breeding at the Nightingale Island Group, Tristan Da Cunha Archipelago

    Dilley et al.: Population estimates of burrow-nesting petrels in the Tristan Da Cunha Archipelago 267 POPULATION ESTIMATES OF BURROW-NESTING PETRELS BREEDING AT THE NIGHTINGALE ISLAND GROUP, TRISTAN DA CUNHA ARCHIPELAGO BEN J. DILLEY1,2*, DELIA DAVIES1,2, ALEX MITHAM2,3, TREVOR GLASS2, JULIAN REPETTO2, GEORGE SWAIN2 & PETER G. RYAN1 1FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa *([email protected]) 2Conservation Department, Government of Tristan da Cunha, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha TDCU 1ZZ, UK (South Atlantic Ocean) 3Current address: Government House, Stanley, Falklands, FIQQ 1ZZ, UK (South Atlantic Ocean) Received 11 July 2019, accepted 10 August 2019 ABSTRACT DILLEY, B.J., DAVIES, D., MITHAM, A., GLASS, T., REPETTO, J., SWAIN, G. & RYAN, P.G. 2019. Population estimates of burrow- nesting petrels breeding at the Nightingale Island group, Tristan da Cunha Archipelago. Marine Ornithology 47: 267–275. Nightingale is a group of three small, uninhabited islands in the central South Atlantic Ocean. The islands are free of introduced mammals and are largely pristine, supporting two endemic land birds as well as globally important populations of several species of seabirds. Seven species of burrow-nesting petrels are known to breed on the islands, including roughly 40 % of the world’s population of Great Shearwaters Ardenna gravis. We estimated burrow densities by systematically searching for their burrows in 5×5-m quadrats across the main island in the austral summer of 2015. A total of 1 789 petrel burrows fell within the 75 sample quadrats with an average density of 0.95 burrows∙m-2, suggesting that upwards of four million petrels breed on the main island.

  • Procellariiformes Mortality Assessment by Systematic Beach Surveys in Brazil

    PaCSWG4 Inf 28 Rev 1 Agenda Item 14 Fourth Meeting of the Population and Conservation Status Working Group Wellington, New Zealand, 7 – 8 September 2017 Procellariiformes mortality assessment by systematic beach surveys in Brazil Emanuel Ferreira, Patrícia Pereira Serafini, Rodrigo R. Valle, Camila Domit, Karina R. Groch, Pedro Volkmer Castilho, Marta Cremer, Lisa Oliveira, Andrea Maranho, Marcos Santos, Carla Beatriz Barbosa, Carolina P. Bertozzi, Suzana Paz Martins, André Barreto, Cristiane K. M. Kolesnikovas SUMMARY This brief report was prepared in order to present information from Procellariiformes mortality in Brazilian coastal areas. We recorded 3641 Procellariiformes found in south and southeast Brazil during daily beach surveys within a 14 months period (2015/2016). Beached animal monitoring programs can be useful if carcass data are recorded over the long term, systematically and over a wide geographic area, providing an index of baseline mortality with which anomalous mortality events. Stranded birds can reveal long-term spatial and temporal trends in chronic oil pollution in the marine environment, identify the possible anthropogenic causes of stranding from fisheries activities and responses to legislative and support management actions. RECOMMENDATIONS Considering that Brazilian waters comprises an important feeding area used by at least 37 species of Procellariiformes, with the greatest richness and abundance being found in its southern colder waters (Piola et al. 2004) and that 3641 Procellariiformes were found dead or debilitated in south and southeast Brazil during daily beach surveys within a 14 months period (2015/2016) we recommend that: 1. Systematic beach monitoring continues in Brazil in order to assess patterns on marine animal’s mortality, once they can be stablished only within long term monitoring programs.

  • A Large Prion Pachyptila Wreck in South-East Brazil

    A large prion Pachyptila wreck in south-east Brazil Paulo Martuscelli, Robson Silva e Silva and Fábio Olmos Mortalidades massivas de faigões (Pachyptila spp.) tem sido registradas em vários países do Hemisfério Sul. Estas podem envolver centenas de indivíduos e são a principal fonte de registros deste gênero para o Brasil. Em Julho de 1996 uma mortandade de Pachyptila belcheri e P. desolata foi registrada no litoral Brasileiro entre o norte do estado do Paraná, São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, com registros adicionais da Bahia. Uma estimativa conservadora é de 10.000 aves mortas neste trecho. Todos os indivíduos examinados eram jovens e com peso muito abaixo do normal. Embora associada à passagem de frentes frias outros fatores podem estar relacionados ao evento. Mass mortalities (“wrecks”) of prions Pachyptila spp. have been recorded in several countries, such as New Zealand5, South Africa1,6 and Brazil7, although there is little information from South America. Prion wrecks, usually documented by museum specimens, have been recorded in Brazil in 1954, 1982 and 19844,7 and are the main source of records of these rarely seen birds in Brazil. For example, in a study of beached seabirds along the São Paulo state coast, between 1989–1994, only four prions were found4. In July 1996, large numbers of Slender-billed Pachyptila belcheri and Antarctic Prions P. desolata were found dead or dying along c.1,100 km of coastline between Rio de Janeiro and Paraná states, south-east Brazil. Quantitative data on the wreck were obtained at two localities in southern São Paulo, Peruíbe (c.