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Seabirds found dead on New Zealand beaches in 1993, with a review of Sterna albostriata , S. caspia and S. striata recoveries, 1943 – 1992

  • Publication Type

    Journal Article

  • Publication Year

    1994

  • Author(s)

    R.G. Powlesland; M.H. Powlesland

  • Journal Name

    Notornis

  • Volume, Issue

    41, 4

  • Pagination

    275-286

  • Article Type

    paper

Keywords

beach patrol; New Zealand; recoveries; seabirds; Sterna


Seabirds found dead on New Zealand beaches in 1993, with a review of Sterna albostriata , S. caspia and S. striata recoveries, 1943 – 1992

Notornis, 41 (4), 275-286

R.G. Powlesland; M.H. Powlesland (1994)

Article Type: paper

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During 1993, participants in the Beach Patrol Scheme patrolled 2954 km of the New Zealand coastline. 4295 dead seabirds of 55 species, plus 117 individuals of 28 other bird species were found. The number of seabirds found in 1993 was only 43% of the annual average of 9997 birds between 1971 and 1992, and was the eighth consecutive year that below average numbers of dead seabirds have been found. Unusual finds were three Yellow- nosed Mollymawks (Diomedea chlororhrynchos), two Grey-backed Storm Petrels (Oceanites nereis) and a New Caledonian Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera). A summary is given of the coastal and monthly distributions of three Sterna species found between 1943 and 1992. Just nine Black-fronted Terns (S. albostriata) were picked up, mainly along eastern and northern South Island coasts. Of 239 Caspian Terns (S. caspia), most were found on Auckland West, Auckland East, Bay of Plenty and North Coast South Island beaches. There was no significant change in the recovery rate of Caspian Terns through the year. 1738 White-fronted Terns (S. striata) were found, with a peak in mortality during autumn.