Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T04:05:07.841Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Grey petrel population on Campbell Island 14 years after rodent eradication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 December 2016

Graham C. Parker ,
Kalinka Rexer-Huber  and
David Thompson
Graham C. Parker*
Affiliation:
Parker Conservation, 126 Maryhill Terrace, Dunedin, New Zealand
Kalinka Rexer-Huber
Affiliation:
Parker Conservation, 126 Maryhill Terrace, Dunedin, New Zealand Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin, New Zealand
David Thompson
Affiliation:
National Institute for Water and Atmosphere (NIWA), 301 Evans Bay Parade, Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
*
g.parker@parkerconservation.co.nz
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Populations of grey petrels have declined globally due to both incidental capture in commercial fisheries and predation by introduced mammals at breeding sites. In the New Zealand region, grey petrels only breed on Campbell and Antipodes islands. Rats were successfully eradicated from Campbell Island in 2001. We assessed the spatial extent and conducted the first quantitative population estimate of the grey petrel population on Campbell Island and surrounding islets. There was an estimated c. 96 pairs (95% CI: 83, 109) of breeding grey petrels from the four colonies. Since work was conducted during the middle of the chick-rearing stage, this is an underestimate of the breeding population. The Campbell Island grey petrel breeding population remains small. Our study provides a baseline for future population estimates of grey petrels on Campbell Island.

Keywords

breeding numbersisland restorationNorway ratProcellaria cinereaseabirdssub-Antarctic
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , June 2017 , pp. 209 - 216
Check for updates
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ACAP 2009. ACAP species assessments: grey petrel Procellaria cinerea. Battery Point, TAS: ACAP. Available at: http://www.acap.aq, accessed 11 February 2015.Google Scholar
Angel, A. & Cooper, J. 2006. A review of the impacts of introduced rodents on the islands of Tristan da Cunha and Gough. RSPB research report No. 17. Sandy: RSPB, 58 pp.Google Scholar
Bailey, A.M. & Sorenson, J.H. 1962. Sub-Antarctic Campbell Island. Proceedings No. 10. Denver: Denver Museum of Natural History, 305 pp.Google Scholar
Barbraud, C., Delord, K., Marteau, C. & Weimerskirch, H. 2009. Estimates of population size of white-chinned petrels and grey petrels at Kerguelen Islands and sensitivity to fisheries. Animal Conservation, 12, 258–265.Google Scholar
Barbraud, C., Marteau, C., Ridoux, V., Delord, K. & Weimerskirch, H. 2008. Demographic response of a population of white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis to climate and longline fishery bycatch. Journal of Applied Ecology, 45, 1460–1467.Google Scholar
Bell, E.A. 2002. Grey petrels (Procellaria cinerea) on Antipodes Island, New Zealand: research feasibility, April to June 2001. DOC Science Internal Series 60. Wellington: Department of Conservation, 31 pp.Google Scholar
Bell, E.A., Bell, B.D., Sim, J.L. & Imber, M.J. 2013. Notes on the distribution, behaviour and status of grey petrel (Procellaria cinerea) on Antipodes Island, New Zealand. Notornis, 60, 269–278.Google Scholar
Bester, M.N., Bloomer, J.P., van Aarde, R.J., Erasmus, B.H., van Rensburg, P.J.J., Skinner, J.D., Howell, P.G. & Naude, T.W. 2002. A review of the successful eradication of feral cats from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, southern Indian Ocean. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 32, 65–73.Google Scholar
BirdLife International. 2012. Procellaria cinerea. The IUCN red list of threatened species. Version 2014.3. Accessed 11 February 2015.Google Scholar
Bried, J. & Jouventin, P. 1999. Influence of breeding success on fidelity in long-lived birds: an experimental study. Journal of Avian Biology, 30, 392–398.Google Scholar
Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses and petrels across the world. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 499 pp.Google Scholar
Croxall, J.P., Butchart, S.H.M., Lascelles, B., Stattersfield, A.J., Sullivan, B., Symes, A. & Taylor, P. 2012. Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment. Bird Conservation International, 22, 1–34.Google Scholar
Cuthbert, R. & Hilton, G. 2004. Introduced house mice Mus musculus: a significant predator of threatened and endemic birds on Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean? Biological Conservation, 117, 483–489.Google Scholar
Cuthbert, R.J., Louw, H., Lurling, J., Parker, G., Rexer-Huber, K., Sommer, E., Visser, P. & Ryan, P.G. 2013. Low burrow occupancy and breeding success of burrowing petrels at Gough Island: a consequence of mouse predation. Bird Conservation International, 23, 113–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Despin, B. 1976. Observations sur le petrel gris (Procellaria cinerea). L’oiseau et la R.F.O., 46, 432–433.Google Scholar
Dilley, B.J., Schramm, M. & Ryan, P.G. 2016. Modest increases in densities of burrow-nesting petrels following the removal of cats (Felis catus) from Marion Island. Polar Biology. 10.1007/s00300-016-1985-z.Google Scholar
DPIPWE 2013. Macquarie Island nature reserve annual report 2012–2013. Hobart: Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.Google Scholar
Heather, B. & Robertson, H.R. 2015. The field guide to the birds of New Zealand. Auckland: Penguin, 464 pp.Google Scholar
Hunt, G. 2014. Macquarie Island is declared officially pest-free. Available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/hunt/2014/pubs/mr20140407.pdf, accessed 11 February 2015.Google Scholar
Jones, M.G.W. & Ryan, P.G. 2010. Evidence of mouse attacks on albatross chicks on sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Antarctic Science, 22, 39–42.Google Scholar
Jouventin, P., Stahl, J.C., Weimerskirch, H. & Mougin, J.L. 1984. The seabirds of French sub-Antarctic islands and Adélie Land, their status and conservation. In Croxall, J.P., Evans, P.J.H. & Schreiber, R.W., eds. Status and conservation of the world’s seabirds. Technical Publication No. 2. Cambridge: International Council for Bird Preservation, 609–625.Google Scholar
Lawton, K., Robertson, G., Kirkwood, R., Valencia, J., Schlatter, R. & Smith, D. 2006. An estimate of population sizes of burrowing seabirds at the Diego Ramirez archipelago, Chile, using distance sampling and burrow-scoping. Polar Biology, 29, 229–238.Google Scholar
Newton, I.P. & Fugler, S.R. 1989. Notes on the winter-breeding greatwinged petrel Pterodroma macroptera and grey petrel Procellaria cinerea at Marion Island. Cormorant, 17, 27–34.Google Scholar
Parker, G.C. & Rexer-Huber, K. 2016. Guidelines for designing burrowing petrel surveys to improve population estimate precision. Battery Point, TAS: ACAP. Available at: http://www.acap.aq/en/resources/acap-conservation-guidelines.Google Scholar
Pyrke, A. & Hunter, B. 2012. Macquarie Island Nature Reserve annual report 2011–2012. Hobart, TAS: Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment.Google Scholar
Robertson, H.A., Dowding, J.E., Elliott, G.P., Hitchmough, R.A., Miskelly, C.M., O’Donnell, C.F.J., Powlesland, R.G., Sagar, P.M., Scofild, R.P. & Taylor, G.A. 2013. Conservation status of New Zealand birds, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 4. Wellington: Department of Conservation, 22 pp.Google Scholar
Robinson, S.A. & Copson, G.R. 2014. Eradication of cats (Felis catus) from sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. Ecological Management and Restoration, 15, 34–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, P.G. & Ronconi, R.A. 2011. Continued increase in numbers of spectacled petrels Procellaria conspicillata . Antarctic Science, 23, 332–336.Google Scholar
Say, L., Gaillard, J.M. & Pontier, D. 2002. Spatio-temporal variation in cat population density in a sub-Antarctic environment. Polar Biology, 25, 90–95.Google Scholar
Schulz, M., Robinson, S. & Gales, R. 2005. Breeding of the grey petrel (Procellaria cinerea) on Macquarie Island: population size and nesting habitat. Emu, 105, 323–329.Google Scholar
Taylor, G.A. 1986. Other burrowing seabirds. In The ecology of Norway rats on Campbell Island. Nelson: Ecology Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, 155–155.Google Scholar
Taylor, G.A. 2000. Action plan for seabird conservation in New Zealand. Part A: threatened seabirds. Threatened species occasional publication No. 16. Wellington: Department of Conservation, 233 pp.Google Scholar
Torres, L.G., Sutton, P.J.H., Thompson, D.R., Delord, K., Weimerskirch, H., Sagar, P.M., Sommer, E., Dilley, B.J., Ryan, P.G. & Phillips, R.A. 2015. Poor transferability of species distribution models for a pelagic predator, the grey petrel, indicates contrasting habitat preferences across ocean basins. PLoS ONE, 10, 10.1371/journal.pone.0120014.Google Scholar
Towns, D.R. & Broome, K.G. 2003. From small Maria to massive Campbell: forty years of rat eradications from New Zealand islands. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 30, 377–398.Google Scholar
Waugh, S.M., Barbraud, C., Adams, L., Freeman, A.N.D., Wilson, K.J., Wood, G., Landers, T.J. & Baker, G.B. 2015. Modeling the demography and population dynamics of a subtropical seabird, and the influence of environmental factors. Condor, 117, 147–164.Google Scholar
Zotier, R. 1990. Breeding ecology of a sub-Antarctic winter breeder – the gray petrel Procellaria cinerea on Kerguelen Islands. Emu, 90, 180–184.Google Scholar