New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Distribution and movements of Buller's albatross (Diomedea bulleri)
in Australasian seas
J. C. STAHL
J. A. BARTLE
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
P.O. Box 467
Wellington, New Zealand
N. G. CHESHIRE
4 Willora Road
Eden Hills
South Australia 5050
C. PETYT
Tukurua, Takaka RD 2
Golden Bay, New Zealand
P. M. SAGAR
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research
P.O. Box 8602
Christchurch, New Zealand
Abstract The distribution and movements of Buller's albatross
in Australasian seas are analysed using results of shipborne surveys
(13 238 10-min counts), counts from trawlers, banding data, recoveries on
beaches and fishing vessels, and records from the literature. Patterns of
marine distribution are documented by monthly accounts and maps. During the
breeding season, highest abundances are recorded over shelves and slopes off
southern New Zealand (The Snares shelf to 41-43deg.S off the South Island,
D. b. bulleri), around the Chatham Islands and over oceanic subtropical
waters east of New Zealand (probably
D. b. platei), with marked seasonal
variations observed off southern New Zealand. Both subspecies disperse mostly
outside Australasian waters during the non-breeding season. Birds banded on The
Snares were recovered off south-eastern New Zealand (Stewart Island to Cook
Strait) and in the eastern tropical Pacific. Immatures accounted for only 0.25%
of birds censused during the shipborne surveys; they are recorded around the
New Zealand mainland in August-October and February-May, off south-eastern
Australia and in the Tasman Sea in November-December, February, and June-July.
Around New Zealand, males predominate among birds recovered along the eastern
seaboard, whereas the sex ratio in south-western waters tends to vary according
to water depth and season. Distribution patterns and movements in New Zealand
and Australian seas are discussed in relation to breeding events and breeding
status.
Keywords Buller's albatross; Australia; New Zealand; marine
distribution; banding recoveries; intraspecific variation
Received 21 April 1997; accepted 9 December 1997
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (2315K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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