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Breeding of the Cape Barren Goose on the Anser and Glennie Islands, Victoria, Australia

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Breeding of the Cape Barren Goose on the Anser and Glennie Islands, Victoria, Australia Breeding of the Cape Barren Goose on the Anser and Glennie Islands, Victoria, Australia D. F. DORWARD1 and G. M. P IZ Z E Y 2 1 Dept of Zoology, Monash University, Victoria. 2 Ceres, Red Hill, Victoria. Sum m ary In June 1964 Cape Barren Geese were found to be breeding on the islands off Wilson’s Promon­ tory. This was the first authenticated record since 1910. This report of the 1964 findings includes introductory notes on the known history of the species and on its notable biological significance and rarity. The desirability of increased con­ servation measures is stressed and proposals for such measures (including other ecological research work relevant to good management) are outlined. Introduction waterfowl. Some workers have linked it This report was written for submission to the with the extinct New Zealand goose Fisheries & Wildlife Department of Vic­ Cnemiornis, others with the Shelducks and toria, with a view to establishing a research with the South American Kelp Geese, and and conservation programme. It is reprinted others with the true geese of the north; here, by permission, in a slightly amended some consider it deserves a tribe of its own. form. All that is certain at the moment is that the Cape Barren Goose is an unusual gcose- The Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novae­ like bird of undoubted rarity and appa­ hollandiae is one of the rarest geese in the rently ancient origin, which possesses no world. A handsome bird, standing nearly close relatives and is found nowhere else on two feet tall, grey with black wing-tips earth - a bird worth preserving. and tail, and a striking yellow-green cere on the bill, it introduces a boid and rather The Cape Barren Goose in the Fur­ wild note to the open landscape it inhabits. neaux Group, Bass Strait, and on the It bears a remarkable resemblance in many Victorian mainland ways to the true grey geese of the north The Cape Barren Goose breeds on a few and as such is the only one o f its type in the islands from as far as the Recherche Archi­ southern hemisphere. This ‘parallelism’ pelago in West Australia to the Furneaux or convergence is of considerable zoological Group, but the latter area is its head­ interest. quarters. Aerial surveys conducted since It received its vernacular name after 1957 by the Tasmanian Animals and Bird being used as a source of much-needed Protection Board indicate that the popula­ food by survivors of the ship “Sydney tion in the Furneaux Group has fluctuated, Cove”, wrecked on Preservation Island counts varying from 943 in i960 to 2,600 south of Cape Barren Island in Bass Strait in 1964. early in 1797. Matthew Flinders, who The Cape Barren Goose has a long travelled there from Port Jackson in the winter breeding season. It commences rescue schooner ‘Francis’, commented laying as early as April and continues in ‘. .. I found this bird in considerable some cases until the end of October. About numbers on the smaller islands, but September each year some flocks make an principally upon Preservation Island; its annual summer migration to the plains of usual weight was from 7 to 10 pounds and Western Victoria, but the migratory habits it formed our best repasts, but had become of the species are still to be investigated, a shy . .’. About the same time, in the project only now getting under way. So summer of 1797-98, George Bass recorded far as is known, at present there are only taking geese on unidentified islands off about four places where geese may be seen Wilson’s Promontory during his whaleboat with any certainty during this summering voyage to Westernport. Together with period. In each case these are jealously- mutton-birds and seals they formed an guarded grazing properties. In one place a important food standby. flock of 100 birds appears most years but Early as these records may seem, they records of 50 years ago indicate that such appear late in the Cape Barren Goose time- flocks were once found over a much larger scale. Recognisable waterfowi occur in the area of the Western District. There is little fossil record as early as the Cretaceous, 60 doubt that overall numbers have shown a million years ago. Studies on its bone- considerable decline. Since the majority of structure, muscle-formation and behaviour Cape Barren Geese seen during this sum­ are currently going on in an attempt to mer migration probably originate in the establish its relationships with the other Furneaux Group, hitherto it seemed that 64 THE WILDFOWL TRUST their continued presence in Victoria and Glennie Groups in a fishing boat depended on the success of the conserva­ chartered from Port Franklin. High winds tion efforts of another State. It is now four and rough seas made possible only an years since the last shooting season of four inspection by sea of Wattle, Kanowna and weeks was permitted in the Furneaux Anser Islands in the Anser Group and of Group. On that occasion 184 licences were the eastern sides of Greater Glennie, issued and 252 birds taken, which may have Dannevig, Citadel and McHugh Islands represented something like 20% of the in the Glennie Group. Geese were seen on total Furneaux Group population, as the all these islands. Finally, a landing was aerial count of the previous year had shown made on Great Glennie Island, numerous there to be about 1,200 geese in the area. geese were seen, and four nests with eggs Since then the bird has been declared a discovered. partly-protected species, and it has been The greatest numbers of Cape Barren claimed that numbers have shown an Geese seen at one inspection during the increase, although there is little doubt that investigation, which took place between some illegal shooting, destruction of eggs, June 13 and 17, were as follows. and capture of goslings continues. We have observed geese in these islands, and appre­ Anser Group ciate the problems faced there by the Wattle Island - 4 pairs, possible duplica­ Tasmanian conservation authorities. The tion of I pair; Anser Island - 6 pairs on goose islands are scattered, sometimes ground, flock of 20 flying ; Kanowna Island considerable distances from the nearest - 3 pairs. port, and hard to police. They are fre­ quented by fishermen (not only local ones) Glennie Group and mutton-birders ; some are privately Great Glennie Island - 23 geese flew as the owned, and farmers grazing stock are in boat arrived. 9 pairs seen elsewhere; some cases antagonistic to the presence of Dannevig Island - 3 pairs; Citadel Island - grazing geese. Of all these islands (about 3 birds; McHugh Island - 1 pair. 20), one, Goose Island (about 250 acres T he occurrence of geese in pairs intruded and one of the most remote) has been itself immediately. Generally these were declared a sanctuary; one other smaller seen on more or less pure areas of poa one, Little Woody, has been reserved for tussock of anything from one to five or more wildlife purposes; and in the cases of those acres in extent, ranging from 50 feet above islands held on Crown Land leases, it is sea-level, where vegetation succeeds the intended that restrictive clauses beneficial steep granite shoreline, to the crests of the to the geese will be inserted when the leases islands which vary in height between 150 become due for renewal. and 500 feet. With practice it became possible to predict areas where geese would The Cape Barren Goose on Victorian appear as the boat approached. Invariably islands the birds were already alarmed by the time In view of the situation in the Furneaux they were distinguished, and just as Group, the status of the species on islands invariably flew before the boat approached off the Victorian coast, many of them within gunshot. In the light of the tameness already declared sanctuaries and none of Cape Barren Geese observed on the having grazing interests or being privately adjacent mainland at the conclusion of the owned, is of some interest. investigation (see below) this wildness A perusal of old records, conversations would seem to indicate that on the islands with fishermen, and a brief visit by D.F.D. at least the birds associate the approach of during the non-breeding season, indicated a boat with gunfire, or at least danger in that the Glennie and Anser Groups of one form or another. No flying birds were islands off Wilson’s Promontory might be seen to cross between the islands. When breeding grounds for geese. As already disturbed they either moved directly to mentioned, Bass had taken geese on settle on another part of the same island, islands off the Promontory in 1797-98. or flew about for a short time before doing More recently, in 1910, a party of Mel­ so. bourne naturalists, which included Sir Since the prime purpose of the venture James Barrett, had landed on Great was to establish beyond doubt that the Glennie Island and reported geese breed­ Cape Barren Goose still breeds on the ing. Contemporary records in the files of islands, the time spent ashore on Great the Fisheries and Wildlife Department Glennie Island was directed entirely to a indicated the presence of geese on several search for nests. To this end all 10 members of the islands, although apparently no formed a beat along the eastern slope of the breeding records had been made. Accord­ island, moving northward from the anchor­ ingly, in June a party of ten visited the Anser age. However, it soon proved that stalking CAPE BARREN GOOSE 65 was more effective than beating, since the development of the area proceeds.
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