Justification This species is classified as Vulnerable because it is declining at a rapid rate over three generations (90 years), probably largely owing to incidental mortality on longline fisheries. If the severe declines observed at some sites also occur elsewhere, the species would warrant uplisting to Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Diomedeidae

Species name author (Forster, 1785)

Taxonomic source(s) Brooke (2004), Christidis and Boles (1994), Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Robertson and Nunn (1998), SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996), Turbott (1990)

Synonyms Diomedea chrysostoma Turbott (1990), Diomedea chrysostoma Stotz et al. (1996), Diomedea chrysostoma Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Diomedea chrysostoma Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Diomedea chrysostoma Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Diomedea chrysostoma Collar et al. (1994)

Identification 81 cm. Small albatross with dark ashy-grey head, throat and upper neck. Blackish upper wings, mantle and tail. White rump. White crescent behind eye. Black bill with bright yellow upper and lower ridges, shading to pink-orange at tip. White underparts. White underwing with much black on leading edge, less on trailing edge. Immature has mostly black bill and head, nape darker than adult, indistinct white eye-crescent, virtually no white on underwing. Similar spp. Underwing pattern distinguishes it from Buller's Albatross T. bulleri (which has more yellow on bill), yellow-nosed species, and Shy Albatross T. cauta, Chatham Albatross T. eremita and Salvin's Albatross T. salvini. Immatures difficult.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

250,000

decreasing

79,000,000 km²

No

Range & population Thalassarche chrysostoma breeds on South Georgia (Georgias del Sur), Islas Diego Ramirez (Chile), Prince Edward and Marion Islands (South Africa), Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Campbell Island (New Zealand) and Macquarie Island (Australia). The annual breeding population is c.99,000 pairs, equivalent to a total population of c.250,000 mature individuals in this biennially breeding bird^{20, 29}. Its range at sea while breeding lies largely within or south of the Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone^12,15. At Marion Island, birds forage at the sub-tropical front during incubation¹⁷, where it interacts with tuna longline fishing operations¹⁹. During the non-breeding season, it disperses widely in all the southern oceans, and South Georgia birds have been recorded making one or more global circumnavigations, the fastest in just 46 days²². All New Zealand banded birds have been recovered west of New Zealand in Australian zone²⁸.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: This species breeds biennially on steep slopes or cliffs, generally with tussock-grass. It feeds mainly on cephalopods and fish, but crustaceans, carrion and lampreys are locally important^{10,31, 32, 33}. It actively scavenges longline baits⁹.

Threats In Australian waters, up to c.400 individuals (>80% juvenile) were killed annually in 1989-1995 by Japanese longliners⁸. In the Indian Ocean, illegal or unregulated fishing for Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides killed an estimated 10,000-20,000 albatrosses (mainly this species) in 1997 and 1998^1,2,18. At Campbell, the long-term decline, which began well before local longline fishery development, appears to be caused by environmental factors, possibly rising sea-surface temperatures resulting in food shortages, but longline fisheries beyond the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) may also contribute¹⁴. The species is not caught on fishing vessels monitored by New Zealand observers within the EEZ²⁸.

Conservation measures underway CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. Population monitoring and foraging studies are being undertaken at South Georgia, Diego Ramirez, Marion, Macquarie and Campbell Islands. Macquarie and Campbell are World Heritage Sites and the Prince Edward Islands are a Special Nature Reserve.

Conservation measures proposed Continue existing monitoring and commence at little-known sites⁷. Determine migration patterns in off seasons from other populations and overlap with fisheries, particularly those operating in the southern Indian Ocean. Promote adoption of best-practice mitigation measures in all fisheries within the species' range, particularly via intergovernmental mechanisms such as ACAP, CCAMLR and FAO.

References 1. CCAMLR (1997). 2. CCAMLR (1998). 5. Nel et al. (2002a). 6. Croxall et al. (1998). 7. Environment Australia (1999). 8. Gales et al. (1998). 10. Prince (1980). 11. Prince et al. (1994). 12. Prince et al. (1998). 13. Taylor (2000). 14. Waugh et al. (1999). 15. Phillips et al. (2004). 16. Arata and Moreno (2002). 17. Nel et al. (2001) 18. Nel et al. (2002b). 19. Nel et al. (2000). 20. Croxall and Gales (1998). 22. Croxall et al. (2005). 23. Poncet et al. (2006). 24. Ryan et al. (2003). 25. Crawford et al. (2003). 26. Moore (2004). 27. Terauds et al. (2005). 28. G. Taylor in litt. (2008). 29. Brooke (2004). 30. Robertson et al. (2007). 31. Cherel et al. (2002). 32. Xavier et al. (2003). 33. Arata et al. (2004).

Further web sources of information

Australian Govt - Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000 - Recovery Outline

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Deon Nel (WWF South Africa), Deon Nel (BirdLife Seabird Programme), Cleo Small (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), Ben Sullivan (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme)

Contributors J. Arata (University of Southern Chile), John Cooper (Avian Demography Unit, Cape Town), John Croxall (British Antarctic Survey), Rosemary Gales (Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Service), Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey), Christopher Robertson (Wild Press Laboratory), Graham Robertson (Australian Antarctic Division), Peter G. Ryan (Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology), Jose Xavier (British Antarctic Survey)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Cleo Small (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme), Ben Sullivan (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Thalassarche chrysostoma. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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