--- title: "Research on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, 2000-2010" --- # Research on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, 2000-2010 The Wedge-tailed Shearwater *Puffinus pacificus*, along with eight other shearwaters of the genera *Puffinus* and *Calonectris*, has been identified as a potential candidate for listing within the Agreement (Cooper & Baker 2008, Cooper 2010). The species has a wide distribution in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans and a large population, estimated as over five million birds (Brooke 2004).  The Wedge-tailed Shearwater has been exploited for food by humans and is vulnerable at its breeding sites to introduced rodents, pigs and cats (Taylor 2000).  Reduction of tuna populations by fishing may also be contributing to a decline as the bird forages in association with tuna schools. ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/wedge-tailed shearwater_alan_burger.jpg "Wedge-tailed Shearwater at its burrow on Cousin Island, The Seychelles. Photograph by Alan Burger") **Selected recent publications on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters** Baduini, C. L. 2002.  Parental provisioning patterns of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and their relation to chick body condition.  [*Condor* 104: 823-831](http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1650/0010-5422(2002)104%5B0823:PPPOWT%5D2.0.CO%3B2). Bancroft, W.J.2008.  Nearest neighbour analysis and spatial relationships of Wedge-tailed Shearwater, *Puffinus pacificus,*(Aves: Procellariiformes) burrow entrances at Radar Reef, Rottnest Island, Western Australia.  *Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania*142: 31-34. Bancroft, W.J. 2009.  Research and recreational disturbance of Wedge-tailed Shearwater burrows on Rottnest Island, Western Australia: Managing human traffic in burrowing seabird colonies.  [*Ecological Management & Restoration* 10: 64-71](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2009.00442.x/abstract). Bancroft, W.J., Garkaklis, M.J. & Roberts, J.D. 2004.  Continued expansion of the Wedge-tailed Shearwater, *Puffinus pacificus,*nesting colonies on Rottnest Island, Western Australia.  [*Emu Austral Ecology*104: 79-82](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/96/paper/MU03010.htm). Bancroft, W.J., Garkaklis, M.J. & Roberts, J.D. 2005.  Burrow building in seabird colonies: a soil forming process in island ecosystems.  [*Pedobiologia*49: 149-165](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B7CW5-4F2B7GN-7&_user=10&_coverDate=03%2F31%2F2005&_rdoc=6&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%2318097%232005%23999509997%23582614%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=18097&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=8&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b66e7bf3132880a73f0187dfd5dc0310&searchtype=a). Bancroft, W.J., Hill, D. & Roberts, J.D. 2004.  A new method for calculating volume of excavated burrows: the geomorphic impact of Wedge-tailed Shearwater burrows on Rottnest Island.  [*Functional Ecology*18: 752-759](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2004.00898.x/abstract). Bancroft, W.J., Roberts, J.D. & Garkaklis, M.J. 2005.  Burrowing seabirds drive decreased diversity and structural complexity, and increased productivity in insular-vegetation communities.  [*Australian Journal of Botany*53: 231-241](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/65/paper/BT04079.htm). Bancroft, W.J., Roberts, J.D. & Garkaklis, M.J. 2005.  Burrow entrance attrition rate in Wedge-tailed Shearwater *Puffinus pacificus*colonies on Rottnest Island, Western Australia.  [*Marine Ornithology*33: 23-26](http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/33_1/33_1_23-26.pdf). Bancroft, W.J., Roberts, J.D. & Garkalis, M.J. 2008.  Vertebrate fauna associates of the Wedge-tailed Shearwater, *Puffinus pacificus*, colonies of Rottnest Island: influence of an ecosystem engineer.  *Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania*142: 21-30. Brooke, M. [de L.] 2004. *Albatrosses and Petrels across the World*.  Oxford: Oxford University Press. Burger, A.E. 2001.  Diving depths of shearwaters.  [*Auk*118: 755-759](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3793/is_200107/ai_n8981726/pg_2/?tag=content;col1). Burger, A.E. & Lawrence, A.D. 2001.  Census of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters *Puffinus pacificus*and Audubon's Shearwaters *P. lherminieri*on Cousin Island, Seychelles using call-playback.  [*Marine Ornithology*29: 57-64](http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/29_1/29_1_11.pdf). Congdon, B.C., Krockenberger, A.K. & Smithers, B.V. 2005.  Dual foraging strategy in a tropical procellariid, the Wedge-tailed Shearwater.  [*Marine Ecology Progress Series* 301: 293-301](http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2005/301/m301p293.pdf). Cooper, J. 2010.  A brief review of the conservation status of shearwaters *Calonectris* and *Puffinus*.  [ACAP AC5 Inf 15](https://acap.aq/english/english/advisory-committee/ac5/ac5-information-papers). Cooper, J. & Baker, G.B. 2008.  Identifying candidate species for inclusion within the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels.  [*Marine Ornithology*36: 1-8](http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/36_1/36_1_1-8.pdf). Dyer, P.K. 2000.  Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on Mudjimba Island, Queensland: numbers and breeding success.  [*Corella*24: 15-18](http://www.absa.asn.au/Abstracts/abstracts24.html). Dyer, P. K. 2001.  Burrow occupancy by Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and Flesh-footed Shearwaters on Lord Howe Island.  [*Corella*26: 38-40](http://www.absa.asn.au/Abstracts/abstracts26.html). Dyer, P.K. 2003.  A decline in the number of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters breeding on Raine Island.  [*Corella* 27: 13-17](http://www.absa.asn.au/Abstracts/abstracts27.html). Peck, D.R. & Congdon, B.C. 2005.  Colony-specific foraging behaviour and co-ordinated divergence of chick development in the Wedge-tailed Shearwater *Puffinus pacificus*.  [*Marine Ecology Progress Series*299: 289-296](http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2005/299/m299p289.pdf). Peck, D.R. & Congdon, B.C. 2006.  Sex-specific chick provisioning and diving behaviour in the Wedge-tailed Shearwater.  [*Journal of Avian Biology* 37: 1-7](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2006.0908-8857.03558.x/abstract). Peck, D.R., Bancroft, W.J. & Congdon, B.C. 2008.  Morphological and molecular variation within an ocean basin in Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (*Puffinus pacificus*).  [*Marine Biology* 153: 1113-1125](http://www.springerlink.com/content/at34675158274676/fulltext.pdf). Peck, D.R., Smithers, B.V., Krockenberger, A. & Congdon, B.C. 2004.  Sea surface temperature constrains Wedge-tailed Shearwater foraging success within breeding seasons. [*Marine Ecology Progress Series* 281: 259-266](http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2004/281/m281p259.pdf). Smithers, B.V., Peck, D.R., Krockenberger, A.K. & Congdon, B.C. 2003.  Elevated sea surface temperature and reproductive failure of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (*Puffinus pacificus*) in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia.  [*Marine & Freshwater Research* 54: 973-977](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/126/paper/MF02137.htm). Taylor, G.A. 2000.  Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in New Zealand.  Part B: Non-threatened Seabirds.  [*Threatened Species Occasional Publication* No. 17: 236-435](http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/TSOP17.pdf). With thanks to Wesley Bancroft and Allan Burger. *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 21 November 2010*