Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses are still breeding on The Pyramid, New Zealand

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses breeding on The Pyramid, December 2024

The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri is a little-studied Endangered seabird that has the bulk of its breeding population on France’s Amsterdam Island and South Africa’s Prince Edward Island.  Small numbers also breed on the French Crozet, Kerguelen and St Paul Islands.  All these sub-Antarctic islands fall within the southern Indian Ocean.

In 1998 a pair was discovered breeding on The Pyramid in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands in the Pacific Ocean.  It was observed breeding until at least 2003.  In 2007 two pairs were reported to be breeding on The Pyramid.  What seems likely is that these two pairs were still present when Laurie Smaglick Johnson closely circumnavigated the isolated rock on 14 December 2024 aboard the Heritage Adventurer, when she took the photographs depicted here.

The Pyramid, with the large cave visible

The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross is one of two species chosen by ACAP to be featured as part of this year’s World Albatross Day on 19 June, with its theme of “Effects of Disease”.

The Pyramid is also the sole home of the Chatham Albatross

With thanks to Laurie Smaglick Johnson.

References:

Miskelly, C.M., Bester, A.J. & Bell. M. 2006.  Additions to the Chatham Islands’ bird list, with further records of vagrant and colonising bird species.  Notornis 53: 215-230.

Szabo, M.J. 2022  Indian Ocean yellow-nosed mollymawk. In: Miskelly, C.M. (Ed.).  New Zealand Birds Online.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 21 April 2025