• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Difference between revisions of "Buller's Albatross" - BirdForum Opus

(update link)
(→‎References: Updated and expanded)
Line 34: Line 34:
 
Sheep-like bleating call at nest, grunting, coughing and cackling calls when competing for food at sea.
 
Sheep-like bleating call at nest, grunting, coughing and cackling calls when competing for food at sea.
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#Avibase
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#[https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/avibase.jsp Avibase]
{{ref}}
+
#Carboneras, C., Jutglar, F. & Kirwan, G.M. (2017). Buller's Albatross (''Thalassarche bulleri''). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/52506 on 4 February 2017).
 +
#Robertson, C.J.R. & Nunn, G.B. (1998) Towards a new taxonomy for albatrosses. Pp. 13–19 in: Robertson, G. & Gales, R. eds. (1998). The Albatross, Biology and Conservation. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, UK.
 +
#Sagar, P.M. 2013. Buller’s mollymawk. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
 +
#{{Ref-Shirihai08}}{{ref}}
 +
 
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
  

Revision as of 17:25, 28 October 2018

Alternative name: Buller's Mollymawk

Photo by martinuk
Foveaux Strait, off Stewart Island, Southland, New Zealand, January 2010
Thalassarche bulleri

Diomedea bulleri Includes Pacific Albatross

Identification

A small mollymawk: Length 76-81cm. Wingspan 205-213cm.
Adult: back and upperwing brownish-black, rump white and tail greyish-black, underparts white. Head grey with contrasting white forehead and dark eyebrow. Underwing white with dark tip, broad dark leading edge and narrow dark trailing edge. Iris dark brown, bill black with yellow culminicorn and ramicorn, legs pinkish blue.
Immature: juvenile as adult but bill pale brownish-horn with darker tip and darker brownish-grey head. Culminicorn and ramicorn become yellower with age and head becomes greyer.

Showing the diagnistic underwing
Photo by Corwin
Port Fairy Pelagic, June 2006

Similar Species

  • Distinguished from Grey-headed Albatross by narrower dark leading edge to underwing and whiter forehead.
  • Distinguished from Salvin's Albatross by smaller size, greyer head, bill colour and different underwing pattern.

Distribution

Breeds in the New Zealand sector on the Sisters and Forty-fours in the Chatham Islands and on the Snares Islands, Solander and Three Kings Islands. Post-breeding dispersal to seas off southern and south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, and across South Pacific to seas off Peru and Chile, rarely north of about 300S.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

This is either a monotypic species[1], or has two subspecies[2].

Nominate race breeds Solander and Snares Islands, present December to August and disperses towards Australia.

Race platei breeds on the Chatham Islands two-three months earlier and moves towards South America.

Diomedea vs. Thalassarche

Genera Phoebastria and Thalassarche formerly placed in the Diomedea, but now considered by virtually all authorities (Clements, Howard & Moore, AOU, BOU, SACC) to be separate genera in light of Nunn et al. (1996) and Penhallurick & Wink (2004).

Habitat

Breeds on islands, otherwise at sea.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on squid, cuttlefish, crustaceans and fish, sometimes refuse from ships.

Breeding

Breeding season on the Chatham Islands October-November with young fledging in April-May, on Solander and Snares Islands lays February with young fledging in August.

Vocalisation

Sheep-like bleating call at nest, grunting, coughing and cackling calls when competing for food at sea.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Carboneras, C., Jutglar, F. & Kirwan, G.M. (2017). Buller's Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/52506 on 4 February 2017).
  4. Robertson, C.J.R. & Nunn, G.B. (1998) Towards a new taxonomy for albatrosses. Pp. 13–19 in: Robertson, G. & Gales, R. eds. (1998). The Albatross, Biology and Conservation. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, UK.
  5. Sagar, P.M. 2013. Buller’s mollymawk. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
  6. Shirihai, H. 2008. Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife: Birds and Marine Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. Princeton & Oxford: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691136660

Recommended Citation

External Links

Back
Top