From the publication giant petrel skull at the top

Mariana Mazzochi and Caio Carlos (Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil) have published in the journal Polar Biology on the morphology of the skulls of fulmarine petrels, including giant petrels Macronectes spp.

The paper’s abstract follows:

Fulmarine petrels are top predators in the Antarctic region preying mostly on squid, fish, and carrion. Their diets have been widely studied, but less is known about the role of skeletal structures in the processes they use to obtain food. Here, we comparatively describe the skulls of fulmarine petrels, namely, the Giant Petrels (Macronectes), the Southern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialoides), and the Cape Petrel (Daption capense), emphasizing those structures associated with the muscles responsible for opening/closing the jaws. The skull is dorsoventrally flattened and the bill is hooked-tipped and elongated in the studied species, but we found significant differences for relative bill length and relative cranium depth among them. These characteristics can be related to surface seizing and streamlining for diving and pursuing/capturing prey underwater. Longer bills also indicate that the mandible muscles are more posteriorly positioned relative to the bill tip, an adaptation for a fast bite, which is more pronounced in Giant Petrels. Nevertheless, there are broad areas of origin for the mandible muscles in the fossa musculorum temporalium and in the Os palatinum, especially in Giant Petrels. We thus infer that those muscles are well developed and hypothesize that, despite the adaptation for fast movements, their jaws are still capable of a relatively powerful bite. The Giant Petrels and Cape Petrel present a similar pattern of dorsoventral flattening of the skull, an adaptation for diving in pursuit of prey. In Giant Petrels, a flattened skull with a hooked-tipped bill also facilitates their feeding behavior of inserting the bill and head into carcasses for tearing flesh. We conclude that fulmarine petrels present variable morphological characters adapted to the different feeding strategies they employ in the Antarctic and the Southern Ocean.”

Reference:

Mazzochi, M.S. & Carlos, C.J. 2022.  Skull morphology of four Antarctic fulmarine petrels (Aves: Procellariiformes): insights into their feeding biology.  Polar Biology  doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02983-5.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 January 2022

 
Wandering Albatross tracks in blue, White-chinned Petrel tracks in red

Satellite transmitters have been deployed this month on White-chinned Petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis (Vulnerable) on Cooper Island and on Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans (Vulnerable) on Prion Island, as part of a project on the spatial segregation of seabirds at South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)*.  The project is being led by Vicky Warwick-Evans of the British Antarctic Survey and is funded by Darwin Plus.

Wandering Albatross and White-chinned Petrel at sea in the South Atlantic; photographs by Kirk Zufelt

This is stated to be the first tracking of any flying seabird species at South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)* from a colony other than those on Bird Island (where both species are also being tracked this year).  The project aims to determine the degree of overlap in distribution of birds from different colonies, and the implications for fisheries overlap and population trends.

To read more about the project and view the tracks in near real-time and compare distributions click here.  Click on the “Data” tab to see an animation.

With thanks to Richard Phillips, British Antarctic Survey.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 January 2022

*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.

The Albatross and Petrel Agreement has chosen the theme “Climate Change” to mark the third World Albatross Day, to be celebrated on 19 June 2022.  This follows the inaugural theme “Eradicating Island Pests” in 2020 and “Ensuring Albatross-friendly Fisheries” last year.

The featured species chosen for 2022 are two of the three species of albatrosses that breed in the North Pacific: the Black-footed Phoebastria nigripes and the Laysan P. immutabilis.  Both these globally Near Threatened albatrosses have most of their breeding populations on the low-lying atolls of the USA’s North-Western Hawaiian Islands.  These atolls - and their breeding seabirds - are all at risk from predicted sea level rise and increases in the number and severity of storms that result in flooding, both considered a consequence of climate change.  Storm floods have even caused at least one small sandy islet to disappear into the sea, losing breeding sites for several thousand albatross pairs (click here); elsewhere in the island chain, as on Midway Atoll, storms have caused flooding of albatross nests and loss of chicks close to the shore.

ACAP’s WAD poster designer, Michelle Risi, now based on Aldabra Atoll for two years after an extended stay on Gough Island, has with the help of five excellent photographers produced a poster series for the two birds.  The 12 posters are being made freely available for printing during the build up to World Albatross Day on 19 June.  French and Spanish versions are to follow.  ACAP requests it be acknowledged in their use for conservation purposes.  They should not be used for financial gain.

With thanks to photographers Laurie Smaglick Johnson, J.A. Soriano, Eric Vanderwerf, Lindsay Young and Kirk Zufelt, and especially to Michelle Risi, for their support of albatross conservation.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 18 January 2022

The mouse captured on camera on Gough Island in December 2021; photograph by the Gough Island Restoration Programme

The Gough Island Restoration Programme (GIRP) aimed to eradicate introduced House Mice on Gough Island in the South Atlantic to protect the island’s birdlife, including its ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels.  Following the completion of the bait drop by helicopter in July last year the situation looked promising until a single mouse was seen on a camera trap in mid-December.  Now more live mice have been recorded on the island as GIRP reported last week on its website:

“Since we reported the camera trap footage of a mouse on Gough in mid-December, our team on island has been running a targeted monitoring and response operation to assess the extent of mouse presence across a range of locations and intercept any individuals identified. This work remains ongoing. The team has unfortunately caught a further four mice in two other locations. These records of multiple mice mean that the Gough Island Restoration Programme has not been successful in its primary objective to eradicate every single mouse from Gough, although it will bring some respite from the immense predation pressure experienced by the birds there.

At this stage, our focus is on trying to gather as much information as possible as to how widespread mouse survival may be on the island, and across which habitats and elevations. This may help us understand the more likely cause(s) and possible ways to amend the operational approach in light of any findings so that a renewed attempt at eradication may be made at some point in the future. We will make sure that every lesson possible is learnt, not just to benefit future RSPB efforts, but those of the wider island restoration community.

The RSPB remains resolute in its commitment to see Gough restored, and to other eradications more widely including Henderson Island in the Pacific and will continue to work closely with our partners.

While we wish we could be sharing more positive news at this time, we want to express our deep gratitude to all those who have supported the Gough Island Restoration Programme.  We will endeavour to keep you all updated as and when we have further significant information.”

Still at risk to mice?  A colour-banded Critically Endangered Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena stands over its chick on Gough Island; photograph by Michelle Risi

ACAP Latest News will post more information on the situation on Gough as it become available.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 17 January 2022