Publications Archive

Between 8 November and 4 December 1978 observations were made on Southern Great Skuas (Stercorarius skua lonnbergi) at Antipodes Island in the Southern Ocean. Their food habits were determined by observing birds and identifying prey remains. Penguin eggs and chicks were the dominant prey of coastal skuas, whereas those with inland territories relied on petrels and shearwaters. Clutch size in 11 nests averaged 1.8 eggs; most eggs in nine study nests hatched during the first fortnight of November. Hatching success was 54%, but only 3 of 10 chicks survived until 4 December. At that stage of the breeding season, and allowing for unnatural losses of eggs and chicks, productivity was 0.5 chicks per breeding pair. Six chicks were weighed and measured for 5-20 days. Hatching weight averaged 74.3 g. Initial weight gains were small, but after day 4 the average growth rate was 31.6 g/day. Chicks which were heavier at hatching remained so subsequently. Mean bill length at hatching was 17.8 mm and mean depth 9.9 mm. Little growth occurred for the first five days, but afterwards the average growth rate was 1.0 mm/day for bill length and 0.4 mm/day for bill depth. The ratio of bill length to depth changed during growth, and attained the adult condition by age 17-20 days. There were no consistent differences between chicks from coastal and inland nests in their weight gains, or in the growth of their bills.

Photographs in July of a Wandering tattler on Rarotonga and a Grey-tailed tattler on Norfolk Island, both in non-breeding plumage.

Large numbers of Cape pigeons (Daption capense) breed at the Snares Islands. Egg laying occurs in the second week of November and is probably synchronous. Both adults incubate the single white egg. Hatching occurs from the third week in December to the first week in January. Chicks are brooded continuously for up to 10 days and guarded for up to 15 days after hatching. Weight increases until the chicks reach mean adult weight about three weeks after hatching. Adults continue to feed chicks until they fledge, from 47 to 57 days after hatching. The colonies are then deserted for a period while adults moult at sea. The birds remain around the islands throughout the year. There was no evidence of predation during breeding. Exposure of nest site to wind and rain affected breeding success. Band recoveries suggest a strong nest site attachment from year to year.

1978. Oxford University Press. 1012 pp; 404 figures, maps, photographs and field sketches; 14 col. and 18 b & w plates; 19 appendices; bibliography; 275 x 195 mm

In 1978, a group of New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus) were observed at Opoutere, eastern Coromandel Peninsula, to feed on small ‘ cockabully’ fish (Forsterygion sp. varium?)

Some bird observations for late August-early September 1978, are summarised. The Siberian Tattler is recorded for the first time in Western Samoa and two seabirds (Crested Tern and Little Tern). A new breeding record for the Brown Booby is also described. Some brief comments are made on comparative behaviour with Fijian land birds.

During 1977, 3,073 kilometres of coast were patrolled by 132 members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand and their friends. 5,542 dead seabirds and 135 non-seabirds were found. There were no major wrecks. Small, sometimes local, wrecks of Broad-billed Prions (Pachyptila vittata), Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus), Short-tailed Shearwaters (P. tenuirostris) and Fluttering Shearwaters (P. gavia) are noted. Unusual finds were one each of: Antarctic Petrel (Thalassoica antarctica), Fulmar Prion (Pachyptila crassirostris), Black-bellied Storm Petrel (Fregetta tropica), Grey Ternlet (Procelsterna cerulea) and Pitt Island Shag (Stictocarbo punctatus featherstoni) (a new record for beach patrolling).