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Clutch overlap by a New Zealand pigeon

Notornis, 35 (1), 59-62

Clout, M.N., Gaze, P.D., Hay, J.R. (1988)

Article Type: Paper

The nesting behaviour of a New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) fitted with a radio transmitter was closely monitored in lowland forest at Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve. The bird and its mate nested in January 1985, and a single chick fledged in early March. At least one week before this chick left the nest the radio-telemetered parent started incubation on a second nest c. 100 m away. This second nest, and a subsequent one in late March, failed because of disturbance by predators. Clutch overlap as a breeding tactic by New Zealand Pigeons is discussed in relation to possible constraints on reproduction.

Size variation in the snow petrel Pagodroma nivea

Notornis, 35 (2), 109-116

S. Haftorn, F. Mehlum, C. Bech (1988)

Article Type: Paper

A colony of breeding Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) in the Muhlig-Hofmann Mountains, Queen Maud Land, on the Antarctic continent was visited in January-February 1985. The birds were nesting under large boulders on the north-faced, ice-free hillside at Svarthamaren (71°53′ S, 5°1O’ E), about 200 km from the open sea. The colony was roughly estimated to contain 500 pairs (Mehlum et al. 1985). Hatching took place in mid-January. The Snow Petrels at Svarthamaren were on average significantly smaller than those breeding elsewhere in the Antarctic. The irregular geographical distribution of breeding birds of varying size does not immediately provide any support for a sub-specific division of the species into one large and one small form, leaving the systematic and evolutionary status of the species unclear. It remains to be established whether inland breeding selects for relatively small birds.

Forest bird communities in Western Samoa

Notornis, 35 (2), 117-128

M. Bellingham, A. Davis (1988)

Article Type: Paper

The birds of Upolu and Savai’i, Western Samoa, were surveyed in August 1984. Birds were counted along a 2 km transect in 0 le Pupu-Pu’e National Park and 5-minute bird index counts were used in upland and lowland Savai’i. There was a significant difference in the composition and density of bird communities between partly logged and unmodified tava (Pomeria pinnata) forest. The composition of bird communities differed at varying altitudes both in the national park and in Savai’i. There were more species at higher altitudes on Savai’i, and rare species were recorded at only the higher altitudes on Upolu and Savai’i. The relative abundance and occurrence of threatened bird species were noted, and possible sightings of Puna’e, the Samoan Woodrail, in upland Savai’i were recorded.

The Little Barrier Island snipe

Notornis, 35 (4), 273-281

Miskelly, C.M. (1988)

Article Type: Paper

A single snipe was captured on Little Barrier Island in 1870. The history of this specimen is traced up to its designation as the holotype of Coenocorypha aucklandica barrierensis 85 years later. Other records of snipe in the Auckland area seem to refer to the one Little Barrier specimen or to other species of wader. Snipe apparently disappeared from Little Barrier Island in the 1870s, when cats became established, but apparently were rare before then. References by R.H. Shakespear to “snipe” on Little Barrier Island are given, but are regarded as probably referring to other species.

Moults of rectrices and body plumage of Blue-eyed and King shags (Phalacrocorax atriceps and P. albiventer) and phenology of moults

Notornis, 35 (2), 129-142

P.C. Rasmussen (1988)

Article Type: Paper

In Blue-eyed and King shags (Phalacrocorax atriceps and P. albiventer), moult of the rectrices is irregular but not random. R1 (Rectrix 1) was usually the first to be replaced in sub-adult Blue-eyed shags but not in adults. In Blue-eyed shags, moulting rectrices were most often separated by one or two non-moulting rectrices. When two adjacent rectrices were moulting in adult Blue-eyed shags, one was usually over half grown before the other began moulting, or both were about the same length or missing. Up to six rectrices moult simultaneously in sub-adults and up to eight in adults. Moult of rectrices is usually not symmetrical in Blue-eyed shags. In adults, the number of moulting feathers and the number of waves are correlated among flight feathers. In flight feathers of sub-adults, the number of moulting feathers is not correlated but the number of moulting waves and the number of retained juvenile flight feathers are correlated. Most moult of flight and body feathers takes place after breeding, but a limited amount occurs during breeding and in winter.
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