The status of the black-browed and grey-headed albatrosses on Macquarie Island

Abstract

Marginal populations of both black-browed (Diomedea melanophris) and grey-headed (D. chrysostoma) albatrosses breed in the Macquarie Island Nature Reserve. Black-browed albatrosses breed in 3 colonies: one, on north Head, has been declining in numbers since the 1950's; the 2nd in the SW corner of the island, has been increasing; the 3rd on Bishop and Clerk Islets, appears to be larger than the 2nd. Breeding success has been high in the SW colony over the past 10 yr, but recruitment of banded youngsters into the breeding population has been very low. Grey-headed albatrosses, biennial breeders, breed only in the SW corner of the island, with an apparently stable breeding population. The breeding success is slightly higher than that of the black-browed albatrosses but again recruitment into the breeding population is very low. -from Author