Flesh-footed Shearwater - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Ardenna carneipes

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 13 Nov 2024

Description

A large blackish-brown shearwater with flesh-coloured feet. The large bill is straw coloured with a dark tip and the eyes are brown.

Distribution

Ranges throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans. There are two main breeding areas in the world: one in the South West Pacific includes Lord Howe Island and New Zealand; the other along the coast of Western Australia.

Habitat and ecology

Marine
Nest on Lord Howe Island in forests on sandy soils from Ned's Beach to Clear Place, with smaller colonies below Transit Hill and at Old Settlement Beach.
Eggs are laid at the end of a burrow 1 - 2 metres in length.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Increased mortality rates due to the ingestion of floating plastic while foraging.
Taking of Flesh-footed Shearwater as a by-catch by Long-line fishing vessels.
Urbanisation and spread of development within and extending the settlement area - takes over breeding areas and disturbs breeding areas.
Conflict with Island residents through birds burrowing under homes.
Trampling of breeding grounds by grazing cattle.
Invasion of burrows by Kikuyu.
Herbicide use near breeding areas.
Predation by dogs.
Increased mortality due to road kills (mostly on Ned's Beach Road, Anderson Road, Muttonbird Drive and Skyline Drive on Lord Howe Island).
Potential for predation on chicks / eggs at nests.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified 5 priority actions to help recover the Flesh-footed Shearwater in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Control domestic dogs.
Fence areas of nesting habitat to exclude cattle.
Control introduced weeds, particularly Kikuyu, around Flesh-footed Shearwater burrows.
Take strict precautions during the use of herbicides and consider alternatives where available.
Protect Flesh-footed Shearwater nesting habitat from clearing or development.
Support efforts to reduce plastic use and encourage appropriate disposal of plastic waste.
Support measures to prevent the detrimental threats of long-line fishing on seabirds.
Take care when driving near areas of nesting habitat to avoid roadkills and support measures to reduce incidents of road kill.
Investigate means of deterring Flesh-footed Shearwater from burrowing under homes.

Information sources

Baker, G.B. and Wise, B.S. (2005) The impact of pelagic longline fishing on the Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes in eastern Australia. Biological Conservation 126(3): 306-316
Bond, A.L. and Lavers, J.L. (2011) Trace element concentrations in feathers of Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) from across their breeding range. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 61: 318-326
Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. (2008) Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. (CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria)
Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (2007) Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan. (DECC NSW, Sydney South)
Dyer, P.K. (2002) Burrow occupancy by Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and Flesh-footed Shearwaters on Lord Howe Island. Corella 26: 38-40
Hutton, I. (1991) Birds of Lord Howe Island Past and Present.
Hutton, I., Carlile, N. and Priddel, D (2008) Plastic ingestion by flesh-footed shearwaters, Puffinus carneipes, and wedge-tailed shearwaters, Puffinus pacificus. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 142(1): 67-72
Lord Howe Island Board (2010) Lord Howe Island Permanent Park Preserve. Plan of Management. (Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (NSW), Sydney)
Marchant, S. and Higgins P.J. (eds) (1990) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 1: Ratites to Ducks. Part A Ratites to Petrels. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne)
McAllan, I.A.W., Curtis, B.R., Hutton, I. and Cooper, R.M. (2004) The birds of the Lord Howe Island Group: a review of records. Australian Field Ornithology 21: 1-82
Priddel, D., Carlile, N. Fullagar, P. Hutton, I. and O'Neill, L. (2006) Decline in the distribution and abundance of Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) on Lord Howe Island, Australia. Biological Conservation 128: 412-424
Reid, T.A. (2010) Modelling the foraging ecology of the flesh-footed shearwater Puffinus carneipes in relation to fisheries and oceanography. PhD Thesis, University of Tasmania
Thalmann, S. (2005) The chick provisioning and the at-sea behaviour of the flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) breeding at Lord Howe Island. Honours Thesis, University of Tasmania
Thalmann, S.J., Baker, G.B., Hindell, M. and Tuck, G.N. (2009) Longline fisheries and foraging distribution of flesh-footed shearwaters in eastern Australia. Journal of Wildlife Management 73: 399-406
Tuck, G.N. and Wilcox, C. (2009) Assessing the impacts of fishing and habitat loss on the Lord Howe Island population of flesh-footed Shearwaters. Pp 2163-2169 in Anderssen, R.S., Braddock, R.D. and Newham, L.T.H. (eds) 18th World IMACS Congress and MODSIM09 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand and International Association for Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, July 2009.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Ocean	Batemans Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	South Pacific Ocean	Known	None
Ocean	Tweed-Moreton	Known	None
Ocean	Twofold Shelf	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Northern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Southern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Pacific Subtropical Islands	Lord Howe Island	Known	None

Images

Flesh-footed Shearwater Image 1 of 3.
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