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The breeding of the South Island robin at Kowhai Bush, Kaikoura, during the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons and the mortality from August 1976 to December 1979 are described. Most robins began laying in August and completed breeding in January. Thirty-four percent of their nests were relined “old” ones built in previous seasons by robins or Turdus species. Average time to build a “new” nest was 3.4 days, followed by a prelay period that averaged 4.2 days. Eggs were laid at about 24-hour intervals. Mean clutch size was 2.7 eggs (range 2-4), being smallest in July and largest in October. Incubation averaged 17.7 days, and the females spent 81% of daylight time on the eggs; males did not incubate. In the two seasons, 63% of the eggs hatched and 23% were eaten by predators. Hatching success varied between seasons, months and the four age classes of females. Both parents fed the nestlings, but only the female brooded. Nestlings averaged 20.8 days in the nest, with little or no brooding after day 15. Overall, 42% of the nestlings fledged; most of the rest were eaten by predators. The proportion that fledged decreased as the season progressed because the loss to predators increased. Pairs fledged a mean of 2.1 fledglings in 1977-78 and 2.9 in 1978-79. Juveniles were fed by their parents from 24 to about 50 days, depending on the number of juveniles, how many the female cared for and how soon the next clutch hatched. Mortality was highest in summer for immatures and autumn for adults. Immatures died more in summer, possibly because they were less efficient foragers than adults, but similar proportions of the two age classes died in autumn and winter, perhaps because predation was the main mortality factor.

Regular and closely spaced counts of migratory waders were made at Suva Point, Fiji, over 15 months. Arrival and departure times were determined with fair accuracy for the four main species: wandering tattler (late August-early May); least golden plover (early September-early April); turnstone (late September-late April) and eastern bar-tailed godwit (late September-early April). Comparisons with earlier counts in 1961/2 and 1969/70 show a large increase in the summering godwit population and perhaps a reduction in the number of wandering tattler.

Bones of an owl, from Holocene dune sands in the North Cape area, North Island, considered by Scarlett (1967) to constitute the first subfossil record of the Australian barn owl (Tyto alba delicatula) in New Zealand, are shown to be those of the endemic laughing owl (Sceloglaux albifacies).

In 1978 at Antipodes Islands, breeding was confirmed and distribution of breeding sites was investigated for Snares Cape pigeons (Daption capense australe), subantarctic fairy prions (Pachyptila turtur subantarctica), soft-plumaged petrels (Pterodroma mollis mollis), subantarctic little shearwaters (Puffinus assimilis elegans) and grey-backed storm petrels (Garrodia nereis). Breeding seasons, habits and habitats at Antipodes Islands of petrels not exceeding white-chinned petrels (Procellaria aequinoctialis) in size are described. Notes are included from Prince Edward and Gough Islands on some of these species studied in 1979.

The ecology of Henderson Island, a raised atoll near Pitcairn Island on the southern border of Oceania, still seems to be in its natural state. The birds include an endemic monotypic genus of flightless rail, an endemic species of parrot, and endemic races of fruit pigeon and warbler. Its seabirds have not been adequately studied but are known to include a large population of the rare dark phase of the Herald petrel. The white tern may be an endemic race with white feet. The island has been under consideration for the construction of a holiday home with an airstrip.