New Zealand’s Endangered and endemic Hutton’s Shearwater Puffinus huttoni, which breeds only in the vicinity of Kaikoura on South Island, took quite a blow after the earthquake last November (click here).

Hutton's Shearwater fledgling, courtesy of the Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust

Latest news is that aerial photography suggests that more than 20% of the Kowhai colony and 30% of the Shearwater Stream colony in the Seaward Kaikoura Range (the only two known) were swept away by landslips caused by the earthquake.

Supporting evidence, now the remaining chicks have been fledging, is that only a few birds have been handed in after been downed by street lights during Kaikoura’s “March's Fly Safe” month, leading the Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust to estimate that up to 10% of the 2016/17 cohort of chicks has been lost (click here).

Better news is that according to the Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust 12 ”healthy” Hutton’s Shearwaters fledged from Te Rae O Atiu, the fenced coastal translocation site that was not harmed by last year’s earthquake.

Follow the fortunes of the birds at the Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust’s Facebook page.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 06 April 2017

Michael Brooke (Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, UK) and colleagues have published in the journal Animal Conservation on the fortunes of 181 island seabird populations of 69 species following successful eradication of invasive mammals.  The paper concludes "We encourage eradication practitioners and funders to consider building the cost of long-term post-eradication monitoring into project budgets in order to more accurately quantify the impacts of eradication on seabirds."

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Seabirds are among the most threatened groups of birds, and predation by invasive mammals is one of the most acute threats at their island breeding stations. Island restoration projects increasingly involve the eradication of invasive non-native mammals, with benefits for seabirds and other island fauna. To date, demonstrated benefits of invasive mammal eradication include increased seabird nesting success and enhanced adult survival. However, the recovery dynamics of seabird populations have not been documented. Drawing on data from across the world, we assemble population growth rates (λ) of 181 seabird populations of 69 species following successful eradication projects. After successful eradication, the median growth rate was 1.119 and populations with positive growth (λ > 1; n = 151) greatly outnumbered those in decline (λ < 1; n = 23, and seven showed no population change). Population growth was faster (1) at newly established colonies compared to those already established, (2) in the first few years after eradication, (3) among gulls and terns compared to other seabird groups, and (4) when several invasive mammals were eradicated together in the course of the restoration project. The first two points suggest immigration is important for colony growth, the third point reflects the relative lack of philopatry among gulls and terns while the fourth reinforces current best practise, the removal of all invasive mammals where feasible.”

Awaiting the eradication of House Mice on Gough Island: a Tristan Albatross incubates its egg, photograph by John Cooper

Reference:

Brooke, M.d.L., Bonnaud, E., Dilley, B.J., Flint, E.N., Holmes, N.D., Jones, H.P., Provost, P., Rocamora, G., Ryan, P.G., Surman, C. & Buxton, R.T. 2017 Seabird population changes following mammal eradications on islands. Animal Conservation.  doi:10.1111/acv.12344.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 05 April 2017

Alan Tennyson and Lara Shepherd (Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand) have published in the Journal of Ornithology on the phylogenetic relationships of the extinct Scarlett’s Shearwater Puffinus spelaeus, finding it was closely related to New Zealand's extant Fluttering P. gavia and Hutton’s P. huttoni Shearwaters.

A depiction of the extinct Scarlett's Shearwater, painting by Paul Martinson (from Tennyson & Martinson 2006)

The paper’s abstract follows:

”The global phylogenetic relationships of the extinct Scarlett’s Shearwater (Puffinus spelaeus) from New Zealand are examined using ancient DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. The cytochrome b sequences obtained confirm the distinctiveness of this taxon. It forms a strongly-supported clade with two other New Zealand species, suggesting a radiation of similar-sized species in this region. Molecular dating suggests Pleistocene divergences within this clade.”

Scarlett's Shearwater: holotype, near-complete skeleton, from New Zealand Birds Online

A Scarlett's Shearwater skeleton found in a cave, from New Zealand Birds Online

References:

Holdaway, R.N. & Worthy, T.H. 1994. A new fossil species of shearwater Puffinus from the late Quaternary of the South Island, New Zealand, and notes on the biogeography and evolution of the Puffinus gavia superspecies. Emu 94: 201-215.

Michaux, B. 2013. Scarlett’s Shearwater. In Miskelly, C.M. (Ed.).  New Zealand Birds Online.

Tennyson, A. & Martinson, P. 2006. Extinct Birds of New Zealand.  Wellington; Te Papa Press. 140 pp.

Tennyson, A.J.D. & Shepherd, L.D. 2017.  DNA reveals the relationships of the extinct Scarlett’s Shearwater Puffinus spelaeus (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae).  Journal of Ornithology 158:379-384.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 04 April 2017

The studentships are funded by the John and Pat Warham Scholarship Fund, a legacy left to the British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) by the late John and Pat Warham and aim to provide training to PhD level in research on any aspect of the biology or ecology of Sphenisciformes and Procellariiformes by citizens of Commonwealth countries and who are also members of the BOU.

John Warham

John and Pat Warham in their later years

John Warham (1919-2010) was one of the pioneers in conducting field research on mainly New Zealand albatrosses and petrels as well as on penguins, publishing two important books on the former group at the end of his long career (click here to read his obituary in ACAP Latest News).  His wife Pat helped with field work in their early years together.

“Four fully-funded studentships are available and it is envisaged that one studentship will be awarded per year from 2018, although, if more than one exceptional application is received, two awards may be made in one year.  Successful proposals will combine the development of skills useful for a future career in ornithology with a sound scientific research proposal.”

Proposals must be submitted by 30 June 2017.

Read more on the studentships here.

With thanks to Mark Tasker.

Selected literature:

Warham, J. 1990. The Petrels: their Ecology and Breeding Systems. London & San Diego: Academic Press. 440 pp.

Warham, J. 1996. The Behaviour, Population Ecology and Physiology of the Petrels. London & San Diego: Academic Press. 613 pp.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 03 April 2017