The stomach contents of Grey-headed Albatrosses Thalassarche chrysostoma (pictured) were analysed as part of the study. Monitoring of the diets of Grey-headed and Black-browed albatrosses has been continuous since the 1970s; photograph by Richard Phillips

Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UK) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries on the health and distribution of Patagonian lamprey populations inferred through an analysis of the diet of South Atlantic albatrosses.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Knowledge of lampreys during their marine phase is limited, and for the southern hemisphere species was gleaned from their predators (albatrosses) in the 1970s. Taking advantage of new methodologies and long-term data on predator diet and distributions, we infer diverse aspects of lamprey distribution and ecology. DNA analyses indicated that albatrosses at South Georgia prey on Patagonian lamprey Geotria macrostoma, originating from Argentina. Their core pelagic distribution when free swimming appears to be the Antarctic Polar Frontal zone (APFZ), and not South Georgia waters as assumed previously. If so, the APFZ would be the first known hotspot in abundance of an anadromous lamprey in oceanic waters. We could not identify a teleost fish that would be a likely host. Instead, we infer that the lamprey may prey on baleen whales, based on comparison of stable isotope ratios in lamprey with candidate host species, timing of appearance in albatross diets coincident with whale migrations, and circumstantial evidence (unexplained scarring recorded during the whaling era). We suggest that the lamprey do not tolerate cold Antarctic waters, and detach from southerly-migrating whales at the thermal boundary of the APFZ, where they become accessible to albatrosses in surface waters. Given strong evidence that relative importance of prey in seabird diets reflects availability in foraging areas, the steep decrease in the annual consumption of lamprey by albatrosses at South Georgia from > 550 tonnes in 1975–1976 and 1986, to very low levels in most years since 2012, is likely to indicate a major population decrease. Despite our unconventional means of assessing the population trend, there is a compelling case for listing of Patagonian lamprey at least as Near threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and an urgent need to better understand anthropogenic threats in Argentina.”

Reference:

Phillips, R.A., Waluda, C.M. & Miller, A.K. Distribution, hosts and long-term decline in abundance of the Patagonian lamprey inferred from diet assessment of albatrosses. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-023-09786-3

28 July 2023

 
Hutton's Shearwater at its burrow mouth, photograph by Richard Cuthbert

Lindsay Rowe (Rangiora, New Zealand) and Ted Howard have published in the ornithological Notornis on establishing a new colony of Endangered Hutton’s Shearwaters Puffinus huttoni by translocating chicks to a secure locality protected by a predator-proof fence on the Kaikōura Peninsula, New Zealand.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“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 masjs 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.”

Reference:

Rowe, L.K. & Howard, T. 2023. Hutton’s shearwater (Puffinus huttoni) at Te Rae o Atiu, Kaikōura Peninsula South Island east coast, New Zealand: a colony established by translocations – 16 years progress. Notornis 70: 14-30. PDF here.

27 July 2023

The SCAR Open Science Conference will be held in Pucón, Chile from 19-23 August 2024 under the theme, “Antarctic Science: Crossroads for a New Hope”.

Established over 20 years ago, the conference has become, “the premier activity of SCAR that supports its mission to promote and facilitate international Antarctic and Southern Ocean science. These biennial meetings have become fertile ground for the exchange of the latest and highest profile Antarctic research outcomes and a place where future collaborations are born.”

The conference will a feature a comprehensive programme of plenary lectures, mini-symposia, parallel sessions, panel discussions, posters and various opportunities for social activities and excursions in and around Pucón.

The draft list of parallel sessions has been released by the International Scientific Organising Committee, and is available to view, here.

The Committee invites comments and suggestions on the list and is also encouraging individuals to volunteer as session convenor, or propose additions or revisions. 

To provide feedback on the draft parallel session list, or to put yourself forward as one of the convenors of a session, please use the online form at the link, here. Further queries or comments can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

26 July 2023

After some sleuthing, Red B11 has been identified as coming from Bird Island in the South Atlantic, photograph by René Rossouw

On 1 June 2023, René Rossouw travelled out to sea with Cape Town Pelagics from South Africa’s Cape Peninsula. At approximately 25 nautical miles (c. 45 km) from Simon's Town, René photographed an adult Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris with a red leg band, reporting her record to SAFRING (the South African Bird Ringing Unit based at the University of Cape Town). Enlargement of her original high-resolution photograph showed the band to have the inscription B11, after some uncertainty that it could have been B17.  ACAP Latest News then got in contact with its “village” of marine ornithologists who have worked on Southern Ocean islands where Black-browed Albatrosses breed in an endeavour to find out the bird’s origin.

Following a run of “sorry, not ours” e-mails, it was pleasing to hear from Andy Wood of the British Antarctic Survey, confirming that the bird is one of theirs, emanating from Bird Island, South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)*. “Red B11 has metal ring 1425138. It is unsexed but was ringed as a chick on its nest on 10 April 2007. First breeding attempt in 2019/20, it failed early with the partner unrecorded. In 2020/21 it successfully fledged a chick with 1480641/YA50. Non-breeder in 2021/22. In 2022/23 it failed by 2 November with the partner unrecorded. All breeding records from the same colony that it hatched from.”

SAFRING processed the record to show the albatross had flown 4838 km from Bird Island, although this will be a minimum travelled as it would not have taken a straight line (click here).

This is not the first time a red-banded Black-browed Albatross from Bird Island has been photographed at sea off southern Africa - read two earlier records from South African and Namibian waters. A satellite-tracked Black-browed Albatross fledgling from Bird Island has also been photographed off South Africa (click here).

With thanks to Paulo Catry, Karine Delord, Janine Dunlop, Kim-Kelly Hunt, Richard Phillips, René Rossouw, Cristián Suazo and Andy Wood.

25 July 2023

*A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.