A trial translocation of Gould's Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera)

Abstract

Aside from a few pairs recently discovered breeding on nearby Boondelbah Island, the Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera) is limited to a single breeding colony located on Cabbage Tree Island, New South Wales. The translocation of birds from Cabbage Tree Island to establish a new colony elsewhere, or to augment the small colony on Boondelbah Island, is an option currently being considered to aid the long-term conservation of this endangered species. We undertook a trial translocation of nestlings within their current breeding grounds on Cabbage Tree Island. This involved removal of the nestlings from the natal nest, denying them further parental care, relocating them to an artificial nest box and feeding them artificially. Thirty nestlings were translocated between gullies on Cabbage Tree Island after they had attained specific plumage characteristics thought to occur just prior to their first emergence from their nests. The translocated nestlings were confined to their adopted nest boxes for the first 3 days and artificially fed every third day until they fledged. The experimental translocation and the associated use of artificial feeding resulted in a small increase in fledging weight, but caused no reduction in fledging success, and had no effect on the timing of departure of the fledglings. Three translocated fledglings have returned to Cabbage Tree Island since their departure in April 1995; all returned to their adopted nest site, one being recovered only a few metres from the nest from where it fledged. This study demonstrated that translocations of Gould’s Petrel nestlings can be achieved without any discernible detriment to the individual birds involved.