Which bird will get your vote? The ACAP-listed Buller's Albatross is one of 77 birds to choose from in Forest & Bird's search for New Zealand's Bird of the Century. A pair of non-breeding Buller’s Albatrosses preen on Solander Island; photograph by Jean-Claude Stahl

The New Zealand conservation organisation, Forest & Bird, are marking their 100^th birthday this year and as part of their celebrations are searching for a mighty feather to put in their cap.  

In a twist on the organisation’s annual Bird of the Year competition, Forest & Bird are asking the bird-loving public to cast their vote to crown New Zealand's Bird of the Century.

Seventy-seven native birds are in the running for the accolade, including two ACAP-listed species: the globally Endangered and Nationally Critical Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis and the globally Near Threatened and nationally Declining Buller's Albatross Thalassarche bulleri.

To raise awareness of ACAP-listed species and the threats they are facing, the Agreement has been producing a series of infographic posters which can be downloaded at the ACAP website. The Antipodean Albatross infographic, sponsored by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (NZDOC), is amongst those already featured, with the Buller’s Albatross infographic (also sponsored by NZDOC) intended to be be available in the first half of 2024.

Five extinct species have also been included as candidates in the competiton in order to highlight the loss of biodiversity in New Zealand, and to serve as a reminder to protect those species that remain.

Forest & Bird have created a profile for each of the 77 bird contestants on their website, here. Profiles include information on the species, their conservation status, and in some cases a recording of their song. Voters are permitted to select up to five birds for submission to the competition.

Voting opened on Monday 30 October and will close at 5pm on Sunday 12 November 2023. The winning bird will be announced on Monday 13 November 2023.   

01 November 2023

A “gam’ of young Wandering Albatrosses engage in mutual display on Marion Island, photograph by Alexis Osborne

BirdLife South Africa has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC), a global initiative aiming to restore, rewild and protect islands, oceans and communities (click here). This aims to support its work in partnership with the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment via the Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project to save internationally significant albatross populations, such as of the Vulnerable Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans, that are at risk from introduced House Mice Mus musculus on Marion Island. At a little over 30 000 hectares, the removal of mice from Marion Island will be the largest rodent eradication project in the world to be undertaken in a single operation.

The IOCC aims to restore and rewild 40 globally significant islands worldwide by 2030, from sub-Antarctic islands like Marion Island to tropical islands bursting with colourful marine life and coral. Restoring islands by removing invasive species has been repeatedly proven to be one of the most impactful ways to restore biodiversity and island ecosystems. There have been more than 1000 successful island invasive species eradications worldwide that have resulted in long-term benefits, including increased populations of seabirds, land birds and native plants, recovery of natural ecosystem functions, protected and thriving reefs and a more climate-resilient island.

Mark D. Anderson, CEO, BirdLife South Africa and Chair of the MFM Project Management Committee, explains: “Islands are biodiversity hotspots and therefore provide a crucial focus for global conservation efforts. We have joined the IOCC to add impetus to international actions restoring islands by tackling the important environmental issue of invasive alien species. Marion Island is home to two million seabirds, including four species of albatrosses and a range of other species including petrels and penguins, several of which are threatened with extinction. It is vital that we remove the invasive mice, as otherwise Wandering Albatrosses – arguably the most iconic of the ocean-wandering seabirds – and the majority of Marion Island’s globally important seabirds, could become locally extinct.”

“Rodent-free islands offer a glimmer of hope in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. Successful eradications have shown that islands can recover to their former ecological condition in a relatively short time. Joining the IOCC will help raise awareness of the current risk posed to Marion Island, and the urgency needed to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening. We are delighted to have joined this important worldwide initiative and, by being part of it, look to make a step-change in protecting Marion Island’s biodiversity forever.”

Dr Anton Wolfaardt, MFM Project Manager, adds: “Put simply, if we can remove invasive mice from Marion Island we can address once and for all one of the significant threats that the island’s seabirds face, and thus facilitate a favourable conservation future for this globally important island and its magnificent seabirds. Rather than containing or mitigating the threat, we solve it. Although the seabird populations on Marion Island are being increasingly impacted by mice, we have an opportunity to intervene to remove that threat and allow the seabird populations to recover naturally without the need for species reintroduction programmes.”

“The global importance of the seabird populations on Marion Island cannot be overstated, so we must do everything in our power to protect them. Becoming part of the IOCC will help us achieve this goal and contribute to global biodiversity objectives.”

A double rainbow frames a Wandering Albatross chick on Marion Island’s west coast near Swartkop Point, photograph by Sean Evans

Dr Penny Becker, Vice President Conservation at Island Conservation and a co-founder of the IOCC, writes: “Restoring and rewilding islands is not just an act of conservation; it is one of our most powerful defences building resiliency against climate change. By nurturing these ecosystems, we build stronger environments and help biodiversity hotspots like Marion Island to recover”.

Watch a short video about this globally important initiative and find out more about the MFM Project from here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 31 October 2023

A brown skua; photograph by Gerald Corsi

Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have confirmed the first known cases of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the Antarctic region. Sampling of sick and dead brown skuas found on Bird Island, South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)* confirmed the presence of HPAI H5N1. 

Skuas returning from migration grounds off South America are likely to have brought the virus to the island. Wide-spread outbreaks of HPAI occurred across South America this year, and concern had been mounting about the increasing risk of the virus arriving in the Antarctic region. 

Due to the confirmed cases of the virus, BAS have paused all fieldwork involving animal handling, although it may resume in species other than skuas if they remain free from any signs of the disease. BAS and the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI)* remain on high alert for any developments in the situation. 

Richard Phillips is the leader of the Higher Predators and Conservation group within the BAS Core Science Ecosystems programme and is also the Vice-convenor of ACAP’s Population and Conservation Status Working Goup (PaCSWG). He advised that under current conditions, aspects of fieldwork can continue:  

“For the moment, the HPAI outbreak at Bird Island still appears to be confined to brown skuas. As such, the vital long-term population monitoring by British Antarctic Survey of ACAP species, penguins and seals will continue. However, the field team are being vigilant in case HPAI starts to affect another species. Depending on whether and how it spreads, some elements of the research programmes may need to stop, or access to specific colonies will be restricted and further, limited monitoring may only be possible from vantage points.” 

Protocols and guidance documents for H5N1 had been updated by the Government of South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI)* and the Falkland Islands Government (FIG)* in response to the worsening threat of the spread of the virus, but with enhanced biosecurity measures in place. 

Patricia Serafini is Co-convenor of ACAP’s PaCSWG and an Environmental Analyst for Brazil’s National Centre for Research and Conservation of Wild Birds. Serafini is a member of a group of experts on epidemiology, disease risk assessment and management, that advise ACAP on issues related to the ongoing high pathogenicity H5N1 avian influenza outbreak. This group has been meeting virtually monthly since July 2023 to review and update the "Guidelines for working with albatrosses and petrels during the ongoing high pathogenicity H5N1 avian influenza outbreak." These guidelines were initially launched by ACAP in July 2022 and the updated version will be ready to be available on the ACAP website shortly. Commenting on the current situation she said:

“The potential impact of the disease on ACAP species is a significant concern for albatross and petrel conservation and has been integrated into the ACAP Work Programme, particularly under the PaCSWG. The ACAP intersessional group of experts is extremely concerned now that the HPAI H5N1 virus has reached the Sub-Antarctic islands. Oceania is currently the only region in the world free from this virus, but this status is also susceptible to change. It is noteworthy that up to the end of October 2023, no mass mortality events among procellariiform birds have been linked to HPAI H5N1. However, these species remain susceptible to infection and are at risk in the event of outbreaks. Infected birds typically exhibit atypical behaviour, neurological symptoms, conjunctivitis, and respiratory distress."

A report on the threat posed by HPAI was released by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Network (AWHN) also published a risk assessment for HPAI reaching the Southern Ocean.

Information and updates on diesease threats for Procellariiform birds can be found under the Avian Flu menu at the ACAP website, here.

30 October 2023

*A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.

Light pollution from a mine proposed near the only breeding site for New Zealand's Westland Petrel could impact the species. A Westland Petrel fledgling; photograph by Bruce Stuart-Menteath

There is concern New Zealand’s Endangered Westland Petrels Procellaria westlandica are under threat from a proposed mine near the species’ sole breeding site in the foothills of the Paparoa Mountains on the West Coast of the South Island.

A planning application for a mineral sand mine operation located less than 5km south of the breeding colony has been lodged by mining company, TiGa Minerals and Metals. Artificial light emitted from the mine’s infrastructure, and the headlights from the increased traffic movements to and from the mine could impact the Westland Petrel colony.

Light pollution presents a threat for many birds, particularly migratory species. For shearwaters and petrels, exposure to artificial lights from street, vehicle and building lights, can lead to birds becoming grounded. Once grounded, they can find it difficult to become airborne again putting them at risk of vehicle strikes, predation or exhaustion. Fledglings are particularly vulnerable to light pollution when they leave their breeding site and fly out to sea for the first time. 

A fledgling Westland Petrel being released after being found grounded near Punakaiki; photograph courtesy of the Westland Petrel Conservation Trust

The West Coast Branch of the conservation organisation, Forest & Bird, and local community members are campaigning against the mine, forming the Coast Road Resilience Group to raise awareness of the mine’s potential impacts on the Westland Petrel colony.

An application for a mine at the same site made under TiGa Minerals and Metals’ previous name, Barrytown JV Limited, was rejected in 2022 with the impacts of light pollution on the colony cited as one of the reasons behind the decision. 

In response to an article about the proposed mine by Forest & Bird, TiGa Minerals and Metals’ have stated through a press release that they believe they have taken considerable steps to address the impacts of the mine on the Westland Petrel colony. 

TiGa managing Director Robert Brand  said: “TiGa has gone way further than any existing business within the flight path zone of these birds. For instance, we have volunteered to restrict our ore truck movements past the petrel colony, near Punakaiki, to daylight hours only. Additionally, our mining operation will adhere to the Australian National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife, which Forest & Bird itself  has cited as the desired standard for New Zealand.”

The Barrytown Mineral Sanding Mining application for resource consents has been publicly notified however submissions are now closed. The application can be accessed at www.wcrc.govt.nz within the current notified applications or www.greydc.govt.nz.  

27 October 2023