• 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

 
(23 intermediate revisions by 12 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
;Thalassarche bulleri
+
[[Image:BullersAlbGallery.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|Two+Jugs|Two Jugs}}<br />Foveaux Strait, off Stewart Island, Southland, [[New Zealand]], 14 February 2014]]
[[Image:Bullers_Albatross.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by Corwin]]
+
'''Alternative name: Buller's Mollymawk'''
 +
;[[:Category:Thalassarche|Thalassarche]] bulleri
 +
''Diomedea bulleri''
 +
'''Includes Pacific Albatross'''
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Buller�s Albatross (Buller�s Mollymawk)
+
[[Image:444 bull moll 1 cr sm.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|martinuk|martinuk}}<br />Foveaux Strait, off Stewart Island, Southland, [[New Zealand]], 22 January 2010]]
Diomedea bulleri
+
A small mollymawk: Length 76-81cm. Wingspan 205-213cm.<br/>
Range  Breeds in the New Zealand sector on the Sisters and Forty-fours in the Chathan Islands and on the Snares, 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.
+
'''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.<br/>
 +
'''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.
 +
====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 30&deg;S.
 +
[[Image:Bullers_Albatross.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Showing diagnostic underwing<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Corwin|Tim Bawdin}}<br />Port Fairy Pelagic, June 2006]]
 +
==Taxonomy==
 +
====Subspecies====
 +
Most authorities recognize two subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1],[2]]]</sup>:
 +
*Thalassarche bulleri bulleri (Southern): Solander and Snares Islands, breeding December to August and disperses towards [[Australia]].
 +
*Thalassarche bulleri platei (Northern): [[Chatham Islands]] breeding two-three months earlier and moving towards [[South America]].
  
Habitat Breeds on islands, otherwise at sea.  
+
The type of ''T. b. platei'' (Reichenow, 1898) appears to actually be an immature ''T. b. bulleri'' leaving the Northern Buller's without an acceptable scientific name. Based on genetics it has been further argued that Northern Buller's may deserve recognition as an unnamed species which Shirihai (2007) provisionally calls the "Pacific Albatross." It differs from nominate "Southern" Buller's by its darker head with smaller better defined white forehead and reduced yellow on its lower mandible.
  
Identification  A small mollymawk most similar to Salvin�s D. salvini and Grey-headed D. chrysostoma. 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. Distinguished from Grey-headed by narrower dark leading edge to underwing and whiter forehead and from Salvin�s by smaller size, greyer head, bill colour and different underwing pattern.  
+
====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==
 +
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug21}}#[https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/avibase.jsp Avibase]
 +
#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}}
  
Length 76-81cm. Wingspan 205-213cm.
+
==External Links==
 +
{{GSearch|"Thalassarche bulleri" {{!}}  "Diomedea bulleri" "Buller's Albatross" {{!}} "Buller's Mollymawk"}}
 +
{{GS-checked}}1
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
  
Voice  Sheep-like bleating call at nest, grunting, coughing and cackling calls when competing for food at sea.
+
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Thalassarche]]
 
 
BREEDING  On the Chatham Islands lays eggs October-November with young fledging in April-May, on Solander and Snares Islands lays February with young fledging in August.
 
 
 
DIET  Squid, cuttlefish, crustaceans and fish, sometimes refuse from ships.
 
 
 
Subspecies  Two subspecies recongnised. 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.
 
==External Links==
 
*[http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&fid=56&bid=743 View more images of this species on the ABID]
 
{{GSearch|Thalassarche+bulleri }}
 
[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 19:20, 22 August 2023

Photo © by Two Jugs
Foveaux Strait, off Stewart Island, Southland, New Zealand, 14 February 2014

Alternative name: Buller's Mollymawk

Thalassarche bulleri

Diomedea bulleri Includes Pacific Albatross

Identification

Photo © by martinuk
Foveaux Strait, off Stewart Island, Southland, New Zealand, 22 January 2010

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.

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 30°S.

Showing diagnostic underwing
Photo © by Tim Bawdin
Port Fairy Pelagic, June 2006

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Most authorities recognize two subspecies[1],[2]:

  • Thalassarche bulleri bulleri (Southern): Solander and Snares Islands, breeding December to August and disperses towards Australia.
  • Thalassarche bulleri platei (Northern): Chatham Islands breeding two-three months earlier and moving towards South America.

The type of T. b. platei (Reichenow, 1898) appears to actually be an immature T. b. bulleri leaving the Northern Buller's without an acceptable scientific name. Based on genetics it has been further argued that Northern Buller's may deserve recognition as an unnamed species which Shirihai (2007) provisionally calls the "Pacific Albatross." It differs from nominate "Southern" Buller's by its darker head with smaller better defined white forehead and reduced yellow on its lower mandible.

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, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://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

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

Back
Top