Publications Archive

Abstract: The current Buller’s albatross taxa (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri [southern] and T. b. platei [northern]) engage in transpacific migrations from breeding sites on New Zealand offshore islands to non-breeding areas in the south-eastern Pacific Ocean. Both taxa are identifiable from a combination of plumage colour features in the head and bill that are easy to detect at short distance (<15 m). There is also breeding allopatry between the taxa, with the onset of breeding 2.5 months earlier in the ‘northern taxon’. In this study, close-range sightings and captures of lured Buller ́s albatross individuals off southern Perú were carried out during two pelagic trips in May–July 2021 onboard a small- scale longline fishery wooden boat (12 m long), during their normal operations when targeting sharks. We report on the presence of 41 Buller ́s albatross, of which 40 were recognized as ‘northern taxon’ and one as ‘southern taxon’. The great majority of the ‘northern taxon’ were adults (92.5%), with the remaining identified as sub-adults (7.5%). Birds were sighted between 126 and 223 km offshore west-south-west from the port of Ilo, Perú (17°38.64 ́S, 71°20.77 ́W). Birds sighted were preferentially in oceanic areas above the abyssal plain (68% of sightings), with a mean depth of 4,537 m, demonstrating that the ‘northern taxon’ is a truly oceanic species. No birds were observed by us over the continental shelf. Discrimination of ‘northern taxon’ from ‘southern taxon’ is possible from a combination of the plumage colour features in the head and bill. However, identification and comparison of photographs for both taxa taken at sea can be problematic, due to varying light conditions, unless the birds can be drawn close to the photographer using attractants, such as offal discards.

Abstract: We report Records Appraisal Committee (RAC) decisions regarding Unusual Bird Reports received between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022. Among the 160 submissions accepted by the RAC were the first New Zealand records of black tern (Chlidonias niger), black-naped tern (Sterna sumatrana), and Matsudaira’s storm petrel (Hydrobates matsudairae). We also report the second accepted sightings of northern pintail (Anas acuta) and bridled tern (Onychoprion anaethetus), the third accepted sightings of long-toed stint (Calidris subminuta) and grey-backed tern (Onychoprion lunatus), and the third to fifth accepted records of Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). Other notable records included the first record of long-tailed cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis) from Campbell Island and of sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) from the Chatham Islands.

Abstract: Wing areas and wing loadings of New Zealand land birds are poorly documented in the literature. I therefore report measured wing areas of 84 individual birds belonging to 27 species, with calculated wing loadings. Plotting the data graphically allows some ecological inferences. Heavier New Zealand land birds achieve greater wing loadings than lighter species, as is the case for birds generally. For flying birds, small passerines had the lowest wing loadings (0.12 g/cm2 for the New Zealand fantail) and heavier non-passerines the highest wing loadings (0.88 g/cm2 for the pukeko). I expected non-migratory, forest-dwelling, endemic song-birds with weak dispersal abilities to have very high wing loadings but this was not the case. Instead, native and introduced song-birds of similar size tended to have fairly similar wing loadings. Wing loading was slightly elevated in the North Island saddleback and North Island kokako but the whitehead was normal. The tui, a vigorous flier, had a much lower wing loading than expected for its mass. Data for three flightless species suggest that while high wing loading is an important correlate of flightlessness, it is not the only factor.

Abstract: Hutton’s shearwater (Puffinus huttoni) is a burrowing petrel endemic to the alpine zone of the Seaward Kaikōura Ranges, New Zealand. In November 2019, we accessed an understudied breeding colony at Shearwater Stream in the Puhi Peaks Nature Reserve for the first time since a Mw 7.8 earthquake struck the region in 2016. We measured population parameters and carried out a geomorphological assessment. We estimate that the Shearwater Stream colony supports approximately 3,000 breeding pairs. Ground deformation attributed to the 2016 earthquake did not explain the discrepancy between this estimate and the commonly cited (pre-quake) population estimate of ~8,000 pairs. We highlight the limitations of extrapolated population parameters and of using vegetation cover as a coarse proxy for colony area. We discuss how low burrow occupancy and long-term reductions in the availability of suitable habitat indicate a population at risk of decline. We highlight how stable long-term data for burrow density and breeding success may not be reliable indicators of population health at Shearwater Stream.

Abstract: A new colony of the endangered Hutton’s shearwaters (Puffinus huttoni) has been established at Te Rae o Atiu on the Kaikōura Peninsula, South Island east coast, New Zealand to provide insurance against catastrophic events at the high-altitude natural colonies in the Kōwhai River and Shearwater Stream, Seaward Kaikōura Range. The translocation of 495 chicks from the Kōwhai River colony was carried out in six operations from 2005 to 2013. Of the 473 fledglings, 97 have been recorded back at Te Rae o Atiu. Chick selection criteria, fledgling mass, fledgling wing length, days present before fledging, and days of emergence before fledging had no bearing on whether chicks returned from their post-fledging migration to Australian waters or not. One hundred and twelve Te Rae o Atiu bred chicks have fledged up until 2020–21. The Te Rae o Atiu fledglings had similar mass and wing lengths, and days emerged prior to fledging, to the translocated fledglings. There were no differences between the groups of Te Rae o Atiu bred birds that returned or did not. At 2020–21, 21 of the 112 second-generation chicks have returned from their initial migration, and the earliest have bred successfully. The colony has grown to about 75 birds producing about 30 eggs, 24 chicks, and 22 fledglings annually. Future growth of Te Rae o Atiu will be reliant on these home-bred chicks as the oldest translocation birds will soon be approaching the end of their breeding lives. Acoustic attraction of birds flying over Te Rae o Atiu from the sea towards the Kōwhai River natal colony has been mostly unsuccessful with only two birds attracted.

Abstract: The critically endangered kuaka Whenua Hou (Whenua Hou diving petrel, Pelecanoides georgicus whenuahouensis) is a burrow-nesting petrel, restricted to breeding in the foredunes of Whenua Hou. The species’ recovery is inhibited by ongoing threats such as vessel-based light pollution, interspecific competition, and climate change including storm-induced erosion of fragile breeding habitat and thus, kuaka Whenua Hou would benefit from the establishment of a new colony through translocation. However, translocations of petrels require hand-rearing of pre-fledging chicks on the destination site to reset their philopatric behaviour. We documented a hand-rearing and translocation trial of kuaka Whenua Hou in preparation for future translocations. Ten kuaka Whenua Hou chicks were translocated from natal burrows to nest boxes installed behind the colony, and hand-reared on a bespoke diet of pureed sardines. All hand-reared chicks fledged successfully, with fledging mass similar to naturally-reared chicks and with slightly longer wing lengths. The techniques used highlighted the importance of selection criteria, access to natural growth curves to infer feeding regimes, nutritionally rich diets, and strict hygiene protocols. Our trial provides a knowledge base for future translocations and the establishment of new kuaka Whenua Hou colonies.

Tuhinga whakarāpopoto: He momo tata korehāhā te kuaka o Whenua Hou (Pelecanoides georgicus whenuahouensis), he momo ōi e whai rua hei kōhanga, kua mau ki te whakatipu ki ngā tāhuahua kopī o mua o Whenua Hou. Ko te whakarauora o tēnei momo kua whakanguengue i ngā āhuatanga whakaraerae e mau tonu pērā i te pokanga rama, ā rātou ake pakanga ki a rātou me te hurihuri o te āhuarangi, tae noa atu ki te horonga whenua o te pūrei kōhanga marore nō te marangai, ā nō reira, ka whai hua te kuaka Whenua Hou i te whakatūtanga atu o tētahi taiwhenua hou mā te nukunuku kōhanga. Engari, me whakatipu ngā pīrere ki te ringa ki te wāhi e tū ai te kōhanga hou kia ea ai te nuku kōhanga, ā, kia tautuhi anō tā rātou hiahia ki te hoki atu ki te kāinga i whakatipuria kētia rātou. I āta mārama mātou ki te whakamātautau o te whakatipu ā-ringa me te nukunuku kōhanga o te kuaka Whenua Hou kia whakarite ai ki te nukunukunga tūturu e haere ake nei. I nuku kia ngahuru ngā pīpī kuaka Whenua Hou mai i ngā rua i whānau mai ai rātou ki ētahi kōhanga hanga i whakatūria ki muri i te taiwhenua matua, ā, i whakatipuria rātou ki te ringa ki ētahi kai ake o te hārini penupenu. I whai huruhuru pai ngā pīpī katoa, ā, ehara i te rerekē te taumaha o ēnei pīpī i ērā i whakatipuria ki ō rātou ake kōhanga, engari he paku roa ake ngā parirau. I whakamiramira atu ngā tū-āhua i whakamahia i te hiranga o ngā paearu whiri, te whai wāhitanga ki ngā pikinga whakatipu māori kia whakapae tika ai te tikanga whāngai, te whiringa o te kai taioranga me ngā tikanga akuaku mārō. Ka noho tā mātou whakamātautau hei tūāpapa mātauranga ki ngā nukunukunga kōhanga e haere ake nei, me te whakatūtanga o ētahi taiwhenua hou mō ngā kuaka Whenua Hou.