Northern Giant Petrel reported breeding on Amsterdam Island for the first time

Jémérie Demay (Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, Villiers-en-Bois, France) and colleagues report in the journal Antarctic Science on the Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli breeding for the first time on Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean.  A single pair hatched its egg, with the chick having disappeared by 21 December 2013.  It is considered the breeding attempt failed.  Breeding was not observed at the same locality the following season, although displaying birds were present. Amsterdam now becomes the most northerly known breeding site for the species.

 Northern Giant Petrel, photograph by David Boyle

Reference:

Demay, J., Thiebot, J.-B., Delord, K. & Barbraud, C. 2014.  First breeding record of the Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli at Amsterdam Island. Antarctic Science doi.org/10.1017/S0954102014000182 

John COoper, ACAP Information Officer, 27 May 2014