Demography of Westland Petrels (Procellaria westlandica), 1995–2003

S. M. Waugh; P. F. Doherty; A. N. D. Freeman; L. Adams; G. C. Woods; J. A. Bartle; G. K. Hedley

doi:10.1071/MU05065

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Demography of Westland Petrels (Procellaria westlandica), 1995–2003

S. M. Waugh ^A ^H , P. F. Doherty Jr ^B , A. N. D. Freeman ^C , L. Adams ^D , G. C. Woods ^E , J. A. Bartle ^F and G. K. Hedley ^G

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Ministry of Fisheries, PO Box 1020, Wellington, New Zealand.

^B Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1474, USA.

^C School for Field Studies, Centre for Rainforest Studies, PO Box 141, Yungaburra, Qld 4884, Australia.

^D Department of Conservation, Wellington Conservancy, PO Box 5086, Wellington, New Zealand.

^E Department of Conservation, Punakaiki Field Centre, Punakaiki, Westland, New Zealand.

^F Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington, New Zealand.

^G RD1, South Kaipara Heads, Helensville, New Zealand.

^H Corresponding author. Email: susan.waugh@fish.govt.nz

Emu 106(3) 219-226 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU05065
Submitted: 9 December 2005 Accepted: 17 May 2006 Published: 18 August 2006

Abstract

We studied the Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica) over 9 years to estimate demographic rates and examine the possible influence of fisheries by-catch and nest predators on the population. Mean annual survival rates of breeders and skipped-breeders averaged 0.965 (s.e. = 0.038) and 0.726 (s.e. = 0.173) respectively. Mean fledging success was 0.62 fledglings per egg laid (s.e. = 0.04, n = 34 nests). The birds studied showed no evidence of elevated mortality at either the adult or nestling stages, which might indicate low fisheries by-catch mortality or few predation threats to population stability or both. With apparent survival rates of breeders being near probability of 1, attempts to manage threats to the population, over and above current levels of management, can do little to elevate these survival rates. However, some management actions such as ameliorating habitat destruction or depredation could benefit non-breeding birds, as well as working to keep survival rates in breeding birds high.

Acknowledgments

We thank the many people who assisted with the field program at the Westland Petrel Study Colony, including Rachel McClellan, Janice Molloy, Kerry-Jayne Wilson, Alastair Freeman, Humberto Cabrera, Makaira Jenkins, Megan Waugh, Martin Abel and Dominique Filippi. Thanks to Rod Cossee of the Banding Office at the Department of Conservation, and Amelia Connell for assistance with the data management. Funding for aspects of the work was provided by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology under contract UOOX0024, and Department of Conservation. For 1995–96 work, Lincoln University funding was granted to Amanda Freeman. Other aspects were privately funded. We are grateful to Bill Kendall and Gary White for advice on the analysis. We thank Graeme Taylor and two anonymous referees for their constructive review of the manuscript.

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Demography of Westland Petrels (Procellaria westlandica), 1995–2003

Abstract

Acknowledgments

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