Bird ringing on Marion Island

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50

temporal and spatial changes in avian biomass and standing crops will be available, and also assessments of minerals contributed by way of guano, dead birds and eggs. Field work for this part of the ornithological research programme will be completed at the end of 1977. Thereafter, similar work will be undertaken for the nocturnal burrowing petrels, which feature impor- tantly in the ecosystem on Marion Island.

Acknowledgements

The financial and logistic support of the Department of Transport is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are due and sincere appreciation is expressed to field com- panions and all members of the 30th and 31st Relief Teams to Marion Island.

S. Afr. T. Antarkt. Nav., no. 5, 1975

References

Rand, R.W. Notes on the birds of Marion Island. Ibis, 96, 173-206, 1954.

Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M. Jr. Comparative avian ecology. In Marion and Prince Edward Islands.

edited by E.M. van Zinderen Bakker Sr., J.M.

Winterbottom & R.A. Dyer, 161-172. Cape Town, A.A. Balkema, 1971.

Van Zinderen Bakker, E.M. The second South African biological expedition to Marion Island, 1971-72. S. Afr. J. Antarct. Res., no. 3. 60-63, 1973.

(Received 25 June 1975; revised 2 December 1975)

Bird ringing on Marion Island

A. Berruti A.E. Burger A.J. Williams and W.R. Siegfried

Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology University of Cape Town Rondebosch 7700

This paper summarizes bird ringing operations on Marion and Prince Edward islands between 1951 and 1975. During this period 2 535 birds of 19 species were ringed (Table I). Ringing performed by seven individuals or groups of ringers is recorded in Table 2.

Thirty-four birds - 32 Wandering Albatrosses and two Southern Giant Petrels- were recovered or controlled (i.e. released alive) one year or more after ringing. One Wandering Albatross ringed as a chick was found breeding 20 years later.

Only 10 birds ringed on Marion Island have been recovered elsewhere (Table 3). Thirteen birds with foreign rings have been recovered on Marion and Prince Edward: five Wandering Albatrosses ringed off Australia, and four ringed on the Crozet islands, and

four King Penguins also ringed on the Crozets (Table 4).

Acknowledgements

Bird ringing on Mar ion Island is undertaken under the aegis of the South African Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research. Logistic and financial support is provided by the South African Department of Trans- port. Rings are supplied by the National Unit for Bird Ringing Administration which is supported finan- cially by the South African Provincial Nature Conser- vancies.

Sincere appreciation is expressed to all members of Marion Island teams who helped with the capturing and ringing of birds.

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S. Air. J. Antarct. Res .. no. 5, 1975 51

Table 1

Birds ringed on Marion Island. October 1951 - April 1975

Oct. 1951 - Dec. 1973 Jan. I 974 - April I 975 Species

Pull us Full- Unknown

Pull us Full-

Total

grown Age grown

Rockhopper Penguin

Eudyptes chrysocome ⁷⁶ ⁷⁶

Macaroni Penguin

Eudyptes <:hrysolophus ⁵⁴ ⁵⁴

Wandering Albatross

Diomedea exulans 75l 38 ¹⁰⁸ ³¹ ⁹²⁸

Sooty Albatross

Phoebetria jus ea 21 58 201 280

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross

Phoebetria pa/pebraw 4 10 15

Southern Giant Petrel

Macroneetes J?igal){eus ^I^! ⁴ ^I⁾

Northern Giant Petrel

Macronectes ha//; ^I() ^J7 ²⁷

Giant Petrel sp.

Macronectes sp. 277 24 301

Soft-plumaged Pctre:

Pterodroma moli:s 3 3

Great-winged Petrei

Pterodroma macrop/era

. .

₃

Kerguelcn Petrel

P1erodroma breviros/ris 17 11 28

Blue Petrel

Halobaena caerulea 50 50

White-chinned Petrel

Procel/aria aequinocliah~ ^.) 4

Grey Petrel

Adamas/Or cinereus Salvin's Pnon

Pachyptila sah•ini 210 210

Common Diving Petrel

Pelecanoides urina~rix 36 36

South Georgian Divmg Petre'

Pelecanoides J?eorgicus 12 !2

Kelp Gull

Larw dominicanw;

s

"

^~^~

Great Sku;;

S1ercorarius skuo

lonnberf{. ^131! 68 I i

.

^~^,)^' 270

Lesser Sheathbil,

Chioni.1 mtnor ~ 59 i4:? 210

2 535

Table 2

Bird ringing. numbers ofhird~ ringed and years of operation on Marion Island. I 95 I -April 1975

Bird ringer No. of

Total Yea;·

species

R.W. Rand 8 ¹⁶⁵ ^195i-¹⁹⁵²

J. Bothma 4] 1954

J.J. La Grange I 67 1954

E. M. Van Zinderen Bakker Jr. 4 l Oil 1965-1966

J. Watt 2 57 1968-1969

J.J. Y1sser 3 I 14 I 969-I 970

A. Berruti. A. Burger, A.J. Williams 19 I 080 1974-Aprill975

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52 S. Afr. T. Antarkt. Nav., no. 5, 1975

Table 3

Recoveries of all birds ringed on Marion Island and recovered at other localities. !95! - !975 Species Ring no. Age Sex Ringing Recovery

Recovery location Status

date date

Wandering 578-130 I Pull us May 1969 Jan. 1971 Sydney llarbour. Australia Found d.:ad

Albatros' JJO

so· s.

^151"

Jo·

E

Wandering 578-00576 Full- 16.9.65 6.12.68 AI sea- Indian Oc~an D~ad-caught in

Albatross grown ll~hing gear

Wandering 578-00737 Pull us 21.9.65 21.5.66 Transkei. South Africa No details

Albatross 32° 10' S. 28°. 50' E

Wandering 578-00395 Pull us 16.6.65 2lU.68 Grc;lt Australian Bight ~o d~taib

Albatros~ 34° 00' S. 126° 40' E

Wandering 571{-00354 Pull us 16.6.65 23.9.69 Port Stcvcns. Au1.tralia (.\lntrollcd

Albatross .l2° 41'S. 152° 00' E

Wandering (' 1428 Full-

~ 12.10.54 10.11.59 Off Au~tralian coast Contnllkd

Albatross grown .~6° 23' S. Ill!" 24' E

Giant 578-01000 Pull us 24.2.66 Oct. 1969 Near Codfish bland . .\lc11 Zealand Shot

Petrel 46c 40'S. 160° 00' E

Great C'-01232 Full- 15.1.69 10.2.70 Possc~~ion Island Crozcts hlllnd dead

Skua grown 46° 25'

s.

51° 45' E

Great 002932 14.1.57 15.J.57 Wah i~ Ba}. S. \V Africa Found dead

Skua 22° sg· S. 14° 31' E

Great 7-48556 1-'ull- I 0.1. 74 25.6.75 Cape Cm~s. S. W. Alrica hnmd dc•ad

Skua grn\\n 21° 45'

s.

^14°^00'^[

Table 4

Recoveries of foreign ringed birds recovcn:d on Marion and Prince Edward blands, 1951 - !975

Spc C\ Ring no. Age

Wandcnng 140-03257 Full-

/\lhatros~ grown

Wandering 140-25.150 Full-

Alhatrm., ^gro,~n

Wandering 140-371!64 Full-

Albatross grown

Wandering 140-JK9M 1-'ull-

Albatr<)S' grown

Wandcnng 140-0.1543

Albatro~'

Wandering BS 5X 15 ·Full-

Alhatro" gro\\n

Wandering RS 0777 Full-

Albatn>~' grown

Wandering BS 159X l'ullus

Alhatro~'

Wandering RS 169K Pull us

Albatros~

King Penguin TA 1554 •

King Penguin TA 1147

• Origmat ringtn!! <lata noli ~et obt;uncd

SL·X Ringing

date 29 8.59

24.7.60

26 7.69

30.l:UJ

•

IV.n l8,9.6l!

13.10.70 13 12.70

•

Recovery date .Jan. 1960

22.4.73

23.4. 74.

27.1.75

J('d.75

."1..1.75

7.3.75

!U.75

27.2.75

2.1 I. 74

26.11.74

24.1.75

28.1.75

LO<:,otion

Off i'\cw South Wale' 34° 20' S. 150° 50' E

orr .\IC\1 South \Vale' 34° 22' s. ¹^50"^56'1::

Off l':cw South Wale:~

34° 22' S. 150" 56' E Off :'\c11 South Wale, 34° 20'

s.

^150°^57'¹

Pns'.:,,ion !~land. Crotch 4f>⁰ 25 S. 51° 45' 1;

l'o,scs,ion bland. Croteb

Comrollcd breeding Controlled hrl'cding Controlled hro:o:dtn!(

Conlr<•lkd hrwding Cnntrolkd

brecdong Cot! >lkd hro:cdmg c.unrnlkd

IHlll-br~cd ing ( 'nntrnlkd lltHt-hrcclling Coni rolled n•ln-hrcedong Controlled mou1ting Comrnlkd moulting Cnntrnlkd nhntlting Cuntrolkd mnulting

(Received 25 July 1975; revised 2 December 1975)