Using ground and aerial surveys between 1980 and 1983, we increased the number of known breeding sites of the South Polar Skua in the Ross Sea region from 21 to 55. Some 20 more sites may occur along parts of the coast which we did not survey, especially between Cape Adare and Cape Jones. We estimate that the Ross Sea region has about 15000 skuas. Up to 20% of breeders do not nest in association with penguins.
Since the late 1950s, several colonies have increased, while others have decreased. Some colony changes have apparently been due to human activity. Information on banded birds indicates a low rate of exchange between colonies; some movement may be related to more food being available at refuse dumps at scientific bases.
We studied Pycroft’s Petrel, Pterodroma pycrofti, at a breeding colony in the Hen and Chickens Islands, New Zealand, during the prebreeding and breeding seasons of 1982/83. Breeding birds attended their burrows singly and in pairs, often for several days at a time, from at least 38 days before laying, and up to 19 days before laying.
No parents were in their burrows during the fortnight before laying, except a day or so before laying. In October/November the weights of breeders arriving at their burrows averaged about 150 g, but females arriving to lay weighed on average about 188 g, and males arriving to begin their first incubation stint averaged about 190 g – about 25% more than in October/November. The egg averaged 32 g. Daily weight loss over consecutive days in the burrow averaged 3.5-5 g/day, 2-3g of body weight. Laying took place from the second week in November to the end of the first week in December. Egg dimensions are given. Incubation lasted about 45 days and the fledging period was 77-84 days. Weights of fledglings ranged 156-188 g. From small samples, hatching success was 72% and fledging success 50%. Losses were caused by infertility, desertion and breakage resulting from fighting, probably with tuataras. One male failed breeder was at its burrow six weeks after its egg was broken. Non-breeders are defined as adults not known to breed in the current breeding season but may include some failed breeders. Some occurred in burrows in each observation period, and one was recorded throughout the study period, but more were at the colony in January than earlier. Non-breeders and breeders did not differ significantly in weight in October/November, but non-breeders did not usually achieve
the higher weights of breeders arriving to lay or incubate. Weight loss of non-breeders in burrows was similar to that of breeders. The state of the brood patch, egg formation and the history of previously ringed birds are briefly discussed.
An annotated list of the 52 species of bird seen on and around the Noises Islands in Hauraki Gulf is presented, incorporating information from unpublished field notes from the 1930s onwards and the authors’ own observations, which began in 1977. Eight of the 20 species of seabird and 13 of the 32 species of land bird breed at the islands. The only breeding species of native forest bird are Grey Warblers, Fantails and Silvereyes. We review the breeding history of White-faced Storm Petrels and Spotted Shags. Analysis of Australasian Harrier pellets showed that passerines were the most frequent prey and that carrion was taken from islands at least 2.3 km from the Noises. The contents of 13 Blackbird and four Song Thrush gizzards were also analysed. Houpara (Pseudopanax lessonii) fruit was present in 12 Blackbird gizzards and insects (mainly beetles) in eight. The thrushes had fed mainly on small snails and insects.
Three rookeries of Adélie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) at Coulman Island, Antarctica, were last reported in 1964. Their size was then only roughly estimated and their positions were incorrectly mapped. They were relocated and photographed during aerial photographic surveys of Ross Sea penguin breeding areas on 6 December 1981, 29 November 1982 and 2 December 1983. This paper reports the correct position of each colony, together with detailed description and photograph and an accurate count of occupied nests. Numbers of breeding pairs in 1983 were assessed as Northern Rookery 2,157, Middle Rookery 3,989, Southern Rookery 22,743.
In 1983, 4,559 kilometres of coast were patrolled and 5,991 dead seabirds were found. A new record for the Beach Patrol Scheme was a Pomarine Skua (Stercorarius pomarinus). Unusual finds were Yellow-nosed Mollymawk (Diomedea chlororhynchos), Stejneger’s Petrel (Pterodroma longirostris), White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), Lesser Frigate Bird (Fregata ariel) and Grey Ternlet (Procelsterna
cerulea). A wreck of Long-tailed Skuas (Stercorarius longicaudus) occurred mainly on Auckland West beaches in January and February. A summary is given of the coastal and monthly distribution for each species and subspecies of the 2,401 albatrosses found during the 1960-1983 period. Of the various coastal regions, albatrosses were found most frequently (number of birds per 100 km covered) on Southland beaches. The most frequently found albatross was the Grey-headed Mollymawk (Diomedea chrysostoma).
The measurements of the Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) in Canterbury, New Zealand, were investigated. Variation in plumage colour are compared with study skins and published data for British Redpolls. New Zealand and British Redpolls are shown to differ and it is suggested that differences may be due to ‘founder effect’ rather than ‘hybridisation’ between two or more introduced races, as had previously been postulated. The occurrence of light-coloured plumage was more common in males. Females showed a much wider range of poll colour.